


Without a Goodbye

by MollyBear3



Series: Without a Goodbye and Related Works [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Drinking, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Leaving Home, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Running Away, coming home
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:27:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 69
Words: 75,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23639071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MollyBear3/pseuds/MollyBear3
Summary: Ahsoka left the Order, and the people she left behind aren't too happy. She left without a goodbye to her men, her friends, her mentors, not even to her captain. Soon enough, those who love her the most start coming together to bring her home, or to at least see her off properly. Ahsoka is about to learn that going alone isn't an option when so many love you.
Relationships: 501st Legion & Ahsoka Tano, Aayla Secura & Ahsoka Tano, Ahsoka Tano & Asajj Ventress, Ahsoka Tano & CC-3636 | Wolffe, Ahsoka Tano & Clone Troopers, Ahsoka Tano & Everyone, Ahsoka Tano & Luminara Unduli, Ahsoka Tano & Shaak Ti, Ahsoka Tano & The Jedi Order, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Bail Organa & Ahsoka Tano, CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224| Cody & Ahsoka Tano, CC-5052 | Bly/Aayla Secura, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano, Dooku & Ahsoka Tano, Dooku & Anakin Skywalker, Dooku & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Dooku & Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Padmé Amidala & Ahsoka Tano, Padmé Amidala & Mon Mothma & Bail Organa, Padmé Amidala & Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Plo Koon & Ahsoka Tano, Plo Koon & CC-3636 | Wolffe, R2-D2 & Ahsoka Tano, Riyo Chuchi & Ahsoka Tano
Series: Without a Goodbye and Related Works [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1760767
Comments: 370
Kudos: 1049
Collections: Star Wars





	1. Leaving the Temple

Walking out of the temple was the hardest thing she ever did. Harder than fighting Grievous and Ventress, harder than being expelled the first time, even harder than finding out her friend and closest confidante in the Temple had set her up, but she was doing it anyway. 

Belatedly, she wondered what the boys would think when they heard as she wouldn’t get the chance to say goodbye. She hoped they wouldn’t call her traitor. She hoped that if the Force brought her back together with any of her brothers, they wouldn’t look at her like she was some Seppie in Republic clothing. 

For a moment, she allowed herself to think of the 501st, some of those she had even lost along the way, and felt her steps become even heavier as grief slipped into her bones. She knew that Rex would be disappointed at least, but hoped he could come to understand eventually. Fives would rage, as he always did when they lost someone.

“Ahsoka! Wait!” _Anakin_. She didn’t want to see Anakin. It was just going to make everything so much harder, and it was pretty damn impossible already, but she knew he needed answers or else he would never let her go. “Ahsoka! I need to talk to you!” She slowed down and slowly turned around to face Anakin as he stopped in front of her. She could see his mind going in a million and one directions, and a quick survey of him through the Force told her his emotions were constantly flip-flopping through a wide range of feelings: sadness, confusion, anger, loss, pain, regret, angst, and a few more she couldn’t quite identify. “ _Why_ are you doing this?”

“The Council didn’t trust me, so how can I trust myself?” she answered. It hurt to remember that the Council, the leaders of the Order she loved so dearly and who had raised her, had judged her and found her wanting, had abandoned her when she needed them most.

“What about _me_? _I_ believed in you. I stood _by_ you!” Anakin questioned. She almost wanted to sigh. Anakin had always been there for her, almost to the point that many people worried about him, and because of that, he could be a bit overprotective. She had at times felt like he was holding her back, which made Obi-wan smile with nostalgia and assure her it wasn’t his intention. All in all, he was a good master and friend, but for the same reasons he was a good master, she knew he wouldn’t understand why she had to go.

“I know you believe in me Anakin, and I’m grateful for that, but this isn’t about you. I can’t stay here any longer. Not now,” she said, turning away. It killed her to see the pleading and desperate way Anakin looked at her. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she had to do this. Everything she had ever known had disappeared into smoke, and there was no way, no pretending that things could go back to how they were.

“The Jedi Order is your life! You just can’t throw it away like this! Ahsoka, you are making a _mistake_.” The pain was evident in his voice as he tried to reason with her into staying here at the Temple, staying with him.

“Maybe,” she said with steady resolve, “but I have to sort this out on my own, without the Council, and without you.” And with that, she finally turned away from him, unwilling to see how he reacted to the last two words. 

“I understand,” he whispered eventually. “More than you realize, I _**understand**_ wanting to walk away from the Order.” She hated how broken he sounded, how utterly defeated he felt in the Force. This wasn’t the Anakin she knew, and she momentarily wondered how much of this Anakin hid behind a facade of arrogant self-assuredness before shelving that line of thought for another time.

“I know.” She started away, trying not to cry and hoping Anakin understood her final words, that he understood he was still his Snips and that she still cared for him even though she was leaving him. She decided no, he wouldn’t. In days to come, he would feel only abandoned by her and worry constantly over having someone else know his and Padme’s secret, and she would never have the opportunity to set him straight. She took it back. That was the hardest thing.


	2. Obi-wan's Grandpadawan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan mediated in his room, trying to find solace in the Force. Usually, the Force would grant his wish. When he had lost too many men, when Anakin had done something to put himself in danger again and he couldn’t get to him, when the nightmares and worries and dread would become too much for him to bear alone, the Force usually granted him at least a temporary peace and shelter from the storm that waged in his mind but not today.

Obi-wan mediated in his room, trying to find solace in the Force. Usually, the Force would grant his wish. When he had lost too many men, when Anakin had done something to put himself in danger _again_ and he couldn’t get to him, when the nightmares and worries and dread would become too much for him to bear alone, the Force usually granted him at least a temporary peace and shelter from the storm that waged in his mind but not today.

He had fought so _hard_ to get Ahsoka back, to bring their little snippy padawan home to where she belonged. He had so desperately wanted to go after her with Anakin when she had turned around to leave. He was sure he could convince her. After all, he could (on occasion at least) redirect Anakin from his more self-destructive tendencies. But no, Plo, the well-meaning man, had convinced him that it would look suspicious in front of the Council and to let Anakin, the only master the Council recognized in terms of Ahsoka, talk to her instead. 

The surprise Obi-wan felt when Plo had silently conveyed this would have been enough to stop the entire GAR in its tracks. It was no secret to Obi-wan that Plo had cared for Ahsoka since she was a youngling, going so far as to put in a request to be her master the moment she had returned from getting her first lightsaber. At the time, he silently watched amused as Plo _ooh_ 'd and _ahhh_ 'd over a green lightsaber held by an unknown (at the time anyway) giggling Togrutan youngling, wondering if he had ever been so blatant with Anakin. 

He had even gone so far as to ask Obi-wan how Ahsoka and Anakin got along when they had rescued him from the mystery weapon. Obi-wan had politely (just barely) told him that Ahsoka had settled in quite nicely, that they were getting on quite well, and that everyone would be inconsolable should their new little commander leave them for another battalion, not so subtly saying, “even if that battalion was the well-known 104th.” Plo quickly got the hint.

So it was much the surprise when Plo first voted to kick her out of the Order (though when he cornered the man later, he had to admit, his reasoning made sense) and then not only didn’t go after her too but stopped him from doing so.

A knock came down on the door. “Coming!” he yelled. In a hurry, he excitedly zoomed to the door, thinking Anakin had brought Ahsoka over for tea or mediation or even to talk to her grandmaster (so he could talk some sense into his little grandpadawan), only to be disappointed when Shaak Ti stood at the door. He even looked beyond the door frame to make sure Anakin or Ahsoka hadn’t been rounding the corner before addressing the master in front of him, “Master Ti, how may I help you?” It was hard, but he hoped he didn’t come off as disappointed. From Shaak Ti’s face though, it seemed he failed immensely.

“I see you haven’t heard anything about Ahsoka,” she said sadly. She seemed regretful and not a bit upset. “I thought _you_ at least would - How are you Kenobi?” 

“I’m … fine.” The ‘as-can-be-expected’ went unsaid. For a moment, the two Jedi masters stood outside the room silently as they awkwardly tried to determine where the conversation was to go. Obi-wan took the time to take inventory of the Togruta in front of him. Her skin, usually a brilliant sienna only a shade off of his precious grandpadawan’s own skin, was an unusual dark brownish, making the white and dark blue of her lekku and montrals more pronounced and striking. To others unfamiliar with Togrutan biology might say that she was more attractive or not noticed anything, but Obi-wan had learned from his experience with Ahsoka that she was simply very distressed and her physiology had changed to reflect that. “Would you … like to come in? For tea?”

Wordlessly, the master moved past her compatriot into his private chamber. Obi-wan watched for only a second, then closed the door and followed her back into the room.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you. I just- I couldn’t find Anakin to tell me what had happened and I thought that maybe you knew or that Anakin might be here,” said Shaak as she found a place on the floor. She never looked up but rather inspected her hands carefully as she first placed them on her lap then made fists then placed them back into her lap then wringing the appendages then back to her lap again. It was strange to see the normally serene master so disturbed.

“Why do you care?” asked Obi-wan more accusatory than he meant. He winced when Shaak looked at him with guilt-ridden eyes. “I’m sorry, but I wasn’t aware you and Ahsoka knew each other. And you voted against her if memory recalls.” Obi-wan couldn’t keep the slight lilt to his voice which seemed to steal even more of Shaak’s peace of mind.

“I didn’t know Ahsoka that well, at least, not as well as I meant. I met her when she was a youngling. I came across her crying in the gardens. Apparently, some of her creche had been making fun of her for her montrols, insisting was a defective Twi’lek. She was hiding because she didn’t want anyone to see her cry, especially Master Koon. I helped her calm down and gave her some advice. By the time we were done, she was this little fireball of giggles and curiosity. I’ve always felt some kinship with the girl every since. I had once entertained requesting her as my padawan, but something always held me back.” As Shaak told her story, she stared at the wall in front of her but never really seeing it. “As for how I voted,” she turned to face Obi-wan before returning her gaze to her hands, “I knew that Tarkin would never just give up. He would have come after her again and again until there was nothing of her left. I thought if she was tried by the Republic, her innocence would have come out, or at least, she would have been acquitted from a lack of evidence, and then everything would have been put behind us. I realized I was bit too trusting in the Republic now.” 

Obi-wan was shocked. This was the woman who had taken upon herself to oversee the clones’ training _for the Republic_ , and now, she was saying that she was _‘too trusting?’_ And over _his_ grandpadawan. “Thank you, Master Ti,” he said softly.

“I know my reasons must seem not enough to make up for the hurt I’ve caused your padawan and grandpadawan, but I never thought for even a second that she would’ve been so close to a guilty verdict. When I think about how close such a bright light came to being extinguished-” she broke off and quickly wiped away a stray tear on the side of her face. “I’m sorry. I’m being selfish. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through.”

“It’s alright.” It wasn’t alright, not really, but Obi-wan had become more forgiving over the years, and now, despite how hurt he was (and that little bit of darkness at the bottom of his soul that demanded he hurt her and the rest of those who turned their back on Ahsoka just as savagely as he been), he could see that Shaak really did want to help Ahsoka and acted in what she thought was her best interest, and he couldn’t blame her for that. “I haven’t heard from Anakin, but I think she’ll be alright. She’s very capable after all.” 

Master Ti laughed. “That she is. That she is,” she said in fondness. “You know, stories about her have reached Kamino. The clones talk about a feisty little Jedi commander who fights tooth and nail for men at every junction and who serves the Republic and its people with a dedication worthy of a clone. You and Skywalker should be proud.” And he was. Shaak’s words had brought him pain, thinking that Ahsoka would no longer serve beside the men she so clearly was attached too (especially that captain, sometimes she was too much like her master for comfort), but to say that he didn’t want to take Shaak’s words and shove Mace Windu’s face in them, to say ‘My grandpadawan is the most loyal padawan in the order, and here’s the proof,’ would be a lie more bold-faced than whatever Anakin tried whenever he teased him about his ‘angel.’

“I’ll tell Anakin that when I see him. He would like that.” Obi-wan was sure he wouldn’t. The pain was too new, but Obi-wan thought Anakin should know that his pupil had reached legend status with the clones. It would hurt at first, but it might comfort him some night when his wounds had turned to scars.

“Thank you,” Shaak said then paused. “Are you sure there isn’t any way to contact either your padawan or Ahsoka? I know the chances of her returning are slim, but I would like to know she’s alright, that she’s not just wondering Coruscant like a lost tooka.” Obi-wan thought about it and came up with nothing short of demanding that Commander Fox put out a call out for his lost grandpadawan. The longer he thought about, the more he wanted to go through such a plan. He had heard Ahsoka’s misadventures with a missing lightsaber; he dreaded the day he read the obituary section of the holonet just to find out she had died in some dark alley, alone, scared, cold, and hungry. His grandpadawan deserved a better fate than that. Obi-wan determinedly changed his line of thought. Anakin might be irresponsible at times, but he would never leave Ahsoka without a way out of trouble.

“I’m sure that Anakin has a way, but I’m not sure where he is or how to get in touch with him. He might not even want to talk to me right now.” In days to come, Obi-wan would become horrified at how much he divested to the fellow master. He always tried to hide the less Jedi-Code-friendly parts of Anakin's personality from others, especially the Council. But for now, he simply contemplated what to do silently, as Shaak Ti looked down at her hands, looking as out of place as ever.

“I see,” she said. She suddenly pushed off the floor and faced Obi-wan head-on. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you and for how things worked out. I hope you can forgive me. I’ll leave you to your thoughts.” And with that, she walked out the door and down the hall without a word from both of them. As she left, Obi-wan returned to his thoughts. He decided he needed to see Ahsoka for himself. If nothing else, he had to say goodbye to his little grandpadawan. 

Obi-wan sighed heavily and reached for his communicator. He briefly thought about calling Anakin before shaking his head and calling Cody instead. His commander, ever the dependable chap, picked up after only a few seconds.

“General,” Cody started, “any word on Ahso- Commander Tano? I have several troopers here waiting for information.” Obi-wan smiled. Cody could try to hide his feelings with formalities all he liked, but Obi-wan knew that game (and Cody for that matter) too well for it to work.

“Unfortunately not,” said Obi-wan. Before he got in another word, he was bombarded with question after question, all coming from different troopers. Apparently, Cody took his call in the barracks while surrounded by his brothers.

“Is she coming back?” “What did the Council say?” “Where’s Ahsoka?” “What do you mean ‘unfortunately not?’” “Please say she’s coming back.” “Don’t tell me that _di’kut_ Tarkin got to her before Skywalker.” “What happened?” 

“TROOPERS!” yelled Cody, and all the background questions ceased. “I’m sorry, General. The boys are eager to hear about Commander Tano’s circumstances.”

“It’s quite alright Cody. No harm done.” A light pause colored the conversation, and Obi-wan could almost see the troopers exchange looks at the lack of information on their beloved little commander.

“ _Is_ she coming back, General?” Obi-wan was momentarily taken aback again from the vulnerability in his second-hand’s voice. It spoke of lost nights of sleep and the heartache that comes with the loss of a friend and (if he was right about the clones’ sentiments) little sister.

“... No, Cody, I don’t think she is,” replied Obi-wan. He held his breath, waiting for the men to start asking questions like mad again or at least for some cursing and yelling about the Council. He didn’t count on the silence or the defeat in Cody’s response.

“Oh.” Many beats passed before Cody spoke again. “Is that all, General?” Obi-wan hated (and he knew how taboo that emotion was for Jedi but he frankly didn’t care) how absolutely shaken and defeated Cody was. His commander had expressed many emotions around him (exasperation, anger, doubt, satisfaction, pleasure, pure joy, and many _many_ others) but never had the man ever expressed such defeat around him.

“Yes, I would like you to contact Commander Fox for me. Tell him he is to tell his men to be on the lookout for Ahsoka. If nothing else, we are going to see to it that she is safe and have the chance to say a proper goodbye.”


	3. Wolffe's Rage and Plo's Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Commander Wolffe was not a happy man in general.

Commander Wolffe was not a happy man in general. Some shinies have been heard calling the man a grump. Those shinies were proven right when he, upon hearing the words fall from their shiny mouths, immediately put them on cleaning duty for the next two weeks on top of their regular obligations and duties. That’s not to say he didn’t care about people, just that there were very few people he actually showed his less grumpy self to. In fact, he could count just two: his general (the man was too intuitive to hide anything which was beyond annoying) and the little Jedi commander he was sure he was going to be spending the war with. Fate had seen it fit to take her away though. Twice now, in fact. Which brought him to his current predicament.

His general, after a private meeting between those _di’kute_ on the Council and what should’ve been _his_ co-commander, came to the 104th barracks while he and his brothers waited to hear about the little firecracker. He knew that he wasn’t the only one hopeful that their general brought good news. (Personally, he hoped that Skywalker, for all that he respected him as a general, was found unfit to be her master and that his general just _had_ to take her on as his pupil. That would show that little shit-eater Rex.) Unfortunately, his general arrived, and all could tell from his gait that good news was not coming. Koon had greeted them and then told them that Ahsoka, the same one who was a friend to the Republic but a sister to the clones, would not be returning, and that’s all anyone knew. His general then retired to his on-base quarters with Wolffe on his heels where they both were at that moment. Wolffe was angrily pacing and cursing the Council and everything that dared interfere with Ahsoka while Plo passively looked out the window at the Corscanti traffic and mumbling along with Wolffe.

“Those _di’kute_ won’t know what hit them!” yelled Wolffe. His pacing more aggravated the more he fixated on the Council. “And what about Skywalker? I thought the point of a master was that they take _care_ of their padawans. Not let them walk out the _talyc **door!**_ That _**hut’uun!”**_

“Yes, _hut’uun,_ yes,” mumbled Koon. He wasn’t really engaged in the conversation which just pissed Wolffe off all the more. His general was all out of sorts because of that lot of _chakaare_ were stupid enough to throw away a good and loyal soldier. It slightly tore at him that he thought of someone that young as a soldier, but there was nothing to be done. At the end of the day, she fought with the same spirit that any clone fought with, and she was always more one of them than the Jedi as far as he was concerned anyway.

“And now, she’s out there. No weapon. No supplies. Not even a comm to call for backup!” Wolffe now took to turning to Plo every step or so to emphasize his point.

“Not even a comm. That’s right.” Wolffe had enough of the general’s half replies. He stomped up to him and forcibly turned him around to face him.

“General, are you listening?” Wolffe demanded. Koon’s shoulders started to quiver a bit before he whispered something too low for Wolffe to hear. “What was that?”

“What if she dies out there thinking I gave up on her?” Plo croaked. Wolffe’s heart softened for his general. Even if he never said the words, he knew that he (as well as the rest of the battalion, himself included) was deeply disappointed at not being able to have Ahsoka as _his_ padawan. Instead, he had to watch that reckless wackjob Skywalker risk her life time and time again. It wasn’t until the incident with the Grievous’s secret weapon that Plo was able some closure in seeing that Ahsoka was well-cared for (not that it was up to Wolffe’s standards, but only Wolffe could really up to Wolffe’s standards). That didn’t stop the general or his battalion from checking up on the _ad’ika._ After all, Plo was basically her father for bringing her into the world of the Jedi and that made her the 104th Battalion’s _vod,_ no matter what any other claim other battalions or legions made. She was theirs dammit.

“She could never think that Koon,” said Wolffe. He made sure to use Koon’s name. He only did that once before. He had only once before when the man had insisted he try and apologize for what that _dar’jeti_ did to his eye.

“Yes, she could. I voted to remove her from the Order.” Wolffe was silenced by the general’s confession. He was almost so shocked he didn’t hear what he said next. “I thought if maybe she wasn’t a Jedi anymore, Tarkin would drop his persecution or at least go easier on her. If nothing else, I knew that Skywalker and the Chancellor were close and that maybe he could get her a pardon, but that hardly matters because he proved her innocence while I did nothing, and she left before I could explain, and now she’s all alone with not a single thing or person to help her, so she’s going to die thinking I thought she had actually- that she could- could-” The room was filled with a gurgling sound, and water leaked from the side of Plo’s goggles. When the man's shoulders started to shake, it occurred to Wolffe that his general was crying, something that scared him to death. He’d seen brothers cry. He’d seen civies cry. He’d once saw Ahsoka cry after he broke told her that the rest of the Wolfpack didn’t make it out of Abregado beside Sinker, Boost, and himself. But on his life, he had yet to see his calm, patience, and serene general cry up until that day.

“Don’t cry. We’ll make it right,” said Wolffe quickly. He didn’t really know what to do other than stand there.

“How?” asked Plo. Wolffe racked his head for an idea while his general sobbed in front of him. Desperately, Wolffe tried not to let on how panicked he was when it hit him.

“We’re going to get the boys together and form a search party. She only left today, and she doesn’t have much, so she couldn’t have gotten far. You’ll see, this time tomorrow, she’ll be back in the Temple, making secret trips out to the barracks to chat with the troopers before you know.” Wolffe was shocked when Plo reached out and grabbed him around the middle. All he could do is just rub his back while Plo continued to deprive his body of water through crying and Wolffe commed Boost.

“Boost,” replied the clone on the other end. Wolffe noted that the man sounded like he himself was crying and internally sighed.

“Boost, it’s Wolffe. Get the boys ready. We’re forming a search party for Ahsoka. We’re going to bring her back home.” Looking down at his still crying general, Wolffe quickly added, “And Boost? Make sure to pack some extra water bottles and tissues. The general is, uh, feeling a bit dehydrated.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> di'kut(e) - idiot  
> talyc - bloody, bloodstained  
> hut'uun - coward  
> chakaar(e) - lit. "grave robber," but also means thief, petty criminal, scumbag  
> ad'ika - child  
> vod - sibling  
> dar'jeti - lit. "not Jedi," but also dark Jedi or Sith


	4. The Plan is Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Senator Amidala learns how hard it is to report a missing person on Coruscant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not Canon at all, but I thought it would be fun if Coruscant's days have 25 hours instead of 24.

“Yes, _officer_ , I’m well aware I’m reporting an emancipated minor as a runaway, but this young lady has no place to stay, no money, nothing. She is a dear friend of mine, and I would like to see her returned to those who care about her,” Padmé Amidala repeated tensely for what seemed the hundredth time. When Anakin had shown up and related what had happened between the Order and Ahsoka, she knew immediately that she was going to open up her home on Coruscant to the girl until she had figured out what she wanted to do, especially upon learning she had nothing besides the clothes on her back.

“Then, _senator_ , I’m sure you know that the Jedi take care of their own. They will find the girl soon enough,” replied the disinterested police officer at the other end of the call. Padmé almost lost her temper on the man. That would not do. She was a public figure after all, and she was smart enough to know that anger got to nowhere good, so she took a good deep breath and started again.

“Officer, I’m sure you’re very busy, but this really is an emergency. As I’ve said, the young lady in question is _no longer part_ of the Jedi Order and is having to face the streets alone, and I, as someone who is very close to the young lady and who knows how dangerous the streets of Coruscant can be on a good night, am very worried about her well-being. So if you could just-”

“Senator Amidala,” cut in the rude officer, “the Corascanti Police Department is extremely busy. We can’t expend resources looking for one girl who is legally independent when she hasn’t even been missing for more than twelve hours. I understand that you _think_ she is in danger, but if she _is_ as capable as you seem to think, she will be fine until the minimum of missing days has pasted.” Padmé’s patience was running out. She has to work just to control her breathing, and so she gripped the bridge of her nose between her thumb and pointer finger.

“And how many days exactly is the minimum before I am allowed to report her as missing?” Padmé closed her eyes, still gripping the bridge of her nose. She, personally, hated the minimum days requirements instilled at various police stations across the galaxy. She understood that they were intended to prevent stations from getting overwhelmed, but, in her professional opinion, such measures only endangered people. As Queen of Naboo, she had rid her system of the disgusting legislation, and the good people of Naboo were none the worse for it. In fact, academics and police across the galaxy have praised her decision and pushed for such reform elsewhere.

“The minimum for Coruscant in the case of a missing person of legal age or otherwise emancipated is eight Coruscant days or two hundred hours since last seen alive.” Padmé saw red. She barely noticed C-3PO let in Obi-wan and Bail. Her focus was on ripping this sleemo a new one.

“Listen here you overgrow-” The comm was snatched from her hand before she could finish her threat.

“Senator Amidala will have to call you back. Urgent senatorial business has arisen, and she must attend to it promptly. Thank you for understanding, and have a wonderful day,” said Obi-wan cheerfully before ending the call. He then handed back the comm to Padmé with amusement. “Senator, I’m sorry that I interrupted your call, but I think we can both agree it was for the best.”

Padmé suppressed a huff as Bail gave a small chuckle in the background. “What’s the matter, Padmé?” asked Bail. “I would have thought that you and Padawan Tano would be celebrating, not berating whatever poor soul was on the other end of the comm.”

Padmé glared at Bail. “That was a Coruscanti police officer. Did you know on Coruscant you are required to wait _two hundred hours_ to report a missing person? Why on Naboo we don’t have such nonsense”

“Missing person? I’m afraid I’m a bit lost. Who is missing?” asked Bail, looking between Obi-wan and Padmé. “Is that why you’re here, Master Jedi? For the missing person? I thought you were here for a party. I’ve even brought the tarts my kitchen droid makes. I remember that Padawan Tano couldn’t get enough of them last time we met.” Sure enough, in Bail’s hands was a large tray of the tarts Ahsoka had inhaled. Padmé felt like crying seeing them, and, well, who dare blame her for doing just that? “Padmé, what’s wrong? Is it something I’ve said?”

“No,” said Obi-wan, reaching out to Padmé and giving her a supportive half-hug. “Ahsoka has gone missing.”

“Missing? When? How?” Bail’s light-hearted and slightly teasing tone transformed immediately into what Breha had jokingly called his ‘Senator Organa tone.’ Soon he had passed off the tarts to C-3PO and began listening diligently to the Jedi Master’s story of how Ahsoka was taken back into the Order only to leave it all behind. “Where is General Skywalker? It’s hard to imagine him not at least trying to look for her.”

Normally, Padmé would wince at such a military title applied to her husband, but there were bigger fish to fry. ‘There’s always a bigger fish,’ she thought wearily. “I don’t know. I would have thought he was here,” supplied Obi-wan.

“He was,” said Padmé through sobs, “but after he told me what happened, he rushed out to try and find her.” Obi-wan patted her on the back once more before she pulled herself together, feeling foolish for having lost it in the first place. She was a senator, and here she was crying like a scared little girl. “I then tried calling the police, but you saw how that turned out.”

“Don’t worry Senators,” said Obi-wan. “I’ve already instructed the 212th and Commander Fox’s Coruscant Guard to begin to form search parties for her, starting with the areas she is most familiar with and those closest to the Temple. I’ve also heard rumors that Master Koon is also forming search parties with his troops. I’m sure we’ll find her soon.” In Padmé’s secret heart of hearts, where she kept her love for Anakin and dreams she thought were galaxies away, hope took root. Ahsoka (very foolishly if anyone asked Padmé) had left without even bothering to say goodbye or what plans she had, but soon, _very soon_ , she would be safe, on her couch, listening to Padmé as she ripped into her for every second of worry she caused.

“Right, in the meantime, I would like, with your permission Padmé, create a headquarters of a kind here. From here, we can direct the search to places she is likely to go, and when she is found, have food, water, and anything else she might need ready for her. I would suggest the Coruscant Guard’s headquarters, but it might not have the room necessary whereas most of the people I’m going contact live here already. Padmé?” asked Bail. 

Even in the midst of urgency and intense nervousness, Bail was cool as could be. He would’ve made a far better Chancellor than Sheev according to Padmé, not that she ever said so. He had many things going for him in that regard, and (though Padmé loved her mentor like a second father) Sheev had just not passed any test the Republic laid before him. Padmé mused quietly that maybe the old adage was true about those who can’t do.

“Of course Bail,” she responded. “Just inform Threepio who we are to expect. In the meantime, I’ll try to contact An- General Skywalker to relay our plans. If someone could contact the 104th, it would go much smoother. It’s time to bring our girl home.”


	5. Ahsoka's Misadventures on the Streets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka wasn’t sure where she was anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: threatening with heavy implications
> 
> For those wanting to skip this chapter, the next chapter will have a short summary of this chapter at the beginning.

Ahsoka wasn’t sure where she was anymore. Her feet were sore, and the cold was nipping at any exposed skin. This far down, there wasn’t any sunlight to warm her, and she didn’t have any money to buy even the most pitiful of jackets, so her options were limited for warmth were limited. She could try to go back up, but it would nearly impossible without any funds. It always bewildered Ahsoka how it took nothing to go down levels, but an arm and a leg to go up even one level. 

She could try to make a fire, but with what and where? She could try shifting through garbage or abandoned clothes at nearby laundromats, but she wanted to put off that option for as long as possible. She still had some dignity and pride left. 

Besides, more pressing the cold was her hunger. With no credits to her name and nothing to trade with, she had two options: the garbage or charity. She supposed she could go to Dex’s Diner and ask him for food (Dex had a soft spot for her grandmaster and his line), but she worried about running into someone she knew, and she didn’t know how she felt about asking the man for a free meal when everyone was hurting.

“Hey gorgeous, what’s such a pretty little thing doing all by herself in the big mean city. Doesn’t your boyfriend know better than to let you out by yourself,” called some human male. After a beat, he started again. “Oh sugar, don’t be like that. Why don’t we all just get along?” This time the male called out, and Ahsoka realized he was talking to her. That, and now he was much closer. Ahsoka didn’t know what to do. She had never been spoken to like that before and had no idea how to respond. “Aww, what’s the matter? Tooka got your tongue, sweetcakes?” This time, the man reached for her waist.

“Let go of me!” Ahsoka shouted. She winced immediately afterward. She was going for low and dangerous, not loud and utterly bewildered.

“Or what? It’s not like I’m hurting you. Come with me, we’ll have some fun.” The man tried to direct her down to an alleyway where he had come from and where she could other men standing around, looking at her like she was a plump and defenseless hen in a foxes’ den.

“Let me go!” she screamed, no longer caring how she sounded. She tried pulling away, but his grip just got tighter. She looked around for help, but while there were plenty of those who could help, there was anyone she could see who would. “Help!” she cried anyway. By any luck, a police droid or a Coruscant guard would be nearby to hear her scream.

“None of that.” The man pulled a knife out of nowhere and held it against her, threatening her just enough that she got the message. Scream and you die. Ahsoka had almost resolved herself to her fate when she suddenly heard a low raspy voice from across the way.

“Now, gentlemen,” called the voice, “that girl can’t stay to play, unfortunately. We have plans together ourselves. Girls’ Night, you understand.” Looking up, Ahsoka saw Ventress looking completely at ease addressing a group of what had to be at least five men willing to do the unspeakable. In fact, she looked rather confident with her hands loosely crossed in front of herself and a sultry smirk across her lips.

“Sorry, lady,” the man holding Ahsoka said. “No offense meant, but we’re not letting go just yet, but you’re more than welcome to  _ join in _ .” At that, the other men roared with laughter, and Ahsoka was more scared than ever, but Asajj just sighed.

“Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear.” The laughter stopped when the sound of twin lightsabers igniting hit their ears. Asajj spoke again, but this time with deadly intent clear in every word. “You are going to release my friend  _ now _ . She and I are going to  _ leave _ , and if you have any desire  _ to live _ or  _ to keep your limbs intact _ , I suggest you let us be on our way.” Ahsoka was released so fast that she stumbled towards Asajj, who quickly put Ahsoka behind her. “See? That wasn’t so hard.” Disengaging the sabers, Asajj led Ahsoka down the road to a small apartment.

“Where are we?” asked Ahsoka. It was tidy and well-kept if a bit bare in places. A curtain cut the room in half for what she could only assume privacy in the bedroom.

“My apartment,” said Asajj. “Make yourself comfortable.” With that, Asajj went behind the curtain and returned moments later with a blanket. “Here, you’re shivering.” At that moment, Ahsoka noticed that Asajj was right. Whether due to shock from the cold or her experience with the men in the alley, Ahsoka had been shaking. “Now I would ask why you didn’t defend yourself, but I can see you don’t have your lightsabers with you and you should be with the Jedi anyway. So, instead, I’m going to ask that you tell me what’s going on.”

Ahsoka nearly told her to mind her own business, but Asajj had come to her rescue, and she really didn’t want to leave the warm apartment. So, Ahsoka told the story, from beginning to end, telling all that was hers to tell, looking solely at the floor until she finished. Afterward, she looked up to find Asajj watching her with a blank expression.

“Well, you’re an idiot,” said Asajj. Ahsoka would argue but only a few hours alone without friends or weapons to protect herself with nowhere to go and nothing to do had taught her to be a bit humbler. “Don’t get me wrong, I understand why you did it. But you should’ve at least gotten your sabers back, or taken some money with you. You could’ve told the Jedi that you wanted to work in the creche, and they would’ve let you. No Order, but also no chill, a win-win.” Asajj sighed long and hard, then turned to the kitchen and started cooking. “You can stay until you get back on your feet or one of your clones comes to get you, I don’t care which. We’ll share the bed in the meantime. You just can’t laze around and not do anything. For now, just try to warm up and eat something. The sound of your stomach is frankly disturbing when coming from something so small. Tomorrow, we’ll see about getting you some weapons.” 

“Why are you helping me?” Ahsoka asked. Asajj laughed then handed Ahsoka a datapad with a few files on it.

“Not only did you come through on the pardon, but I got the bounty for you anyway. With that kind of money, I could’ve bought a house on Alderaan. So, for now, I owe you,” said Asajj, plating what looked liked scrambled eggs, but Ahsoka couldn’t tell what type of egg. “Besides, I might have learned to tolerate you better while looking for your betrayer. It would be a shame to learn to like you only to find you dead in some alleyway.”


	6. Rex's Bender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Rex prided himself in the same thing all clones did. His loyalty, his ability to destroy the tinnies, and, above all, to remain calm in hard situations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who skipped the last chapter due to the trigger warning, here is what happened in the last chapter: Ahsoka was accosted by a group of men, but Ventress showed up and warned them off. Then, Ventress brought Ahsoka to her place and is going to let her crash there until she gets back up on her feet.

Captain Rex prided himself in the same thing all clones did. His loyalty, his ability to destroy the tinnies, and, above all, to remain calm in hard situations, but hearing his general tell him that Ahsoka wasn’t coming back threatened each one of those things he defined himself by (yes, even the one about the droids). His general had left soon after (he assumed to see the senator), leaving him to deal with his brothers while all he could think was ‘she didn’t even say goodbye.’

Fives raged, as he always did, damn near destroying multiple pieces of GAR property (explaining that one to the higher-ups was going to be a bitch). Kix snapped and yelled at anything that moved, threatening to sedate any trooper unlucky enough to cross his path. Brii, one of the younger and more sensitive brothers, just kept muttering ‘I don’t understand,’ while Jesse just kept looking around like she was going to pop out of nowhere and explain the joke. Looking around, he saw few brothers trying to hold back tears or for those who had lost that fight sobbing openly into their hands or shoulders of nearby brothers. It was strange to see his men, who had faced battle without flinching so many times, be brought to tears from losing one member of them. A fairly irreplaceable, integral, pride-of-the-legion member, but a single member nonetheless.

Rex, for his part in mourning, did what he always did: disappeared for a few hours. Whenever he wanted to be alone, Rex had a simple procedure. He simply walked quietly but resolutely to his office. Then, he sat at his desk and reviewed whatever paperwork needed to be done. If by the time the work was ended, and he had nothing else to do, but feel the need for solitude, he reached into his bottom drawer and grabbed the bottle of whiskey his older brother Cody gave him for making captain. He only had gone this far once or twice before, and only then needed one or two shots before putting away the bottle and moving on. Both times had been before he even met Ahsoka.

Today, however, the light that was Ahsoka Tano had vanished from his life. He wasn’t the only one she left behind, but he was willing to bet that he was the only one so deeply in love with her  _ General I-must-save-my-illegal-wife-at-all-costs Skywalker  _ felt the need to assure himself that Rex’s feelings wouldn’t become a problem. He assured Skywalker they wouldn’t (if only to make sure he didn’t get reassigned away from her) and the two went back to work. 

So today, in honor of his lost love (it didn’t matter that his love didn’t care enough to say goodbye or didn’t know he lived and breathed for her), he decided to skip the paperwork altogether and get straight to the whiskey. The bottle was mostly full when he started, but by the time someone had thought to look in his office for him, the (admittedly quite large) bottle of whiskey was almost gone. (Thank little gods that the Kaminoans had thought to give them heightened metabolisms or otherwise he might be in trouble.) 

“Captain?” asked Fives at the door. “What’s going on?” Rex looked at Fives for a moment, trying to discern which one was really Fives. He was betting on the one to the left.

“Want a drink, Fives? Cause I’m drinking,” Rex slurred. With great difficulty, Rex poured both himself and Fives a drink. Not trusting himself with handing it to him, Rex simply gestured to Fives’ share of the whiskey.

“Yes, I can see that, but why? Is this about the Commander?” asked Fives. Fives took a hesitant seat across from Rex, a seat only there because Ahsoka demanded it and fought him every step for her own chair in his office. Rex smiled at the memory. Ahsoka had claimed it was so he could teach her how to file the paperwork, but Rex had suspected at the time Ahsoka just wanted to hang out and get to know her captain as they rarely got any work done together. Now, he suspected she just wanted somewhere to hide from work and her master as Skywalker always left him alone in his office.

“The Commander? Why would I be drinking about her? Cause she’s pretty? Smart? Kind? Every clone’s dream? How about because I’ve been in love with the damn girl, and I didn’t even rate high enough for a goodbye? Ain’t that the saddest shit you ever heard?” Fives’ shocked expression didn’t stop his impromptu gab session. “What am I? Bly? No, Bly at least knows his girl would say goodbye. Mine has to leave me without so much as a, as a…. Well, I forget what they’re called, but I didn’t get one.”

“Sir, where did you even get this?” asked Fives. He started reaching for the bottle, and even though Rex tightened his grip, Fives could handle any drunk-as-a-skunk trooper and got it away from him.

“Give it back. It’s mine,” Rex drunkenly whined. “Cody gave it to me.”

“Oh he did, did he?” asked Fives to which Rex nodded as best he could in his current state. “Well, I think you’ve had enough. Time to go to bed.” And so, with great difficulty, Fives got his commanding officer into bed, turned around and led the rest of the 501st on a search party. Fives would get Rex later when he sobered up. Hopefully, by then, Rex would have learned his lesson, and Ahsoka would think it was a funny joke when they got her back.


	7. Anakin's Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin was scouring level after level, breaking several dozen laws every minute, as he looked for his lost apprentice.

Anakin was scouring level after level, breaking several dozen laws every minute, as he looked for his lost apprentice. Every second passed was putting Ahsoka in more and more danger with no way to even protect herself. Sure, she was deadly with her sabers, and Rex had made  _ damn sure _ she could at least handle a fight hand-to-hand if absolutely necessary (and for that alone, Anakin was going to make that man a marshal commander if it killed him). 

Still, Anakin couldn’t help but think Ahsoka was somewhere in serious trouble, hoping he was on his way. “Hang on, Snips,” Anakin whispered. “Skyguy’s coming.” Speeding through Coruscant traffic, the young man tried to listen for directions from the Force and was outraged when something whispered  _ Leave her. She abandoned you. _ Pushing that aside, Anakin looked directly for Ahsoka’s signature instead, trying to find that special blend of fierceness and gentle-warmth that was his little sister and best friend. With so many around, it was hard to do. 

Finally, Anakin sighed and pulled over. He couldn’t find her. She was gone, and he couldn’t find her, and while this wasn’t the first time, it was the first time he had done nothing to stop her from going missing. He had failed her and everyone else by not convincing her that staying was the right thing to do. It was times like these he wished he had listened to Obi-wan more, or maybe let him have Ahsoka. Then, none of this would have happened.

Just as he was about to turn around and head back to Padmé’s to admit defeat, his comm went off. Sighing, he answered, “Skywalker.”

“Anakin, it’s Obi-wan.” Sure enough, it was his old master and the man not two minutes ago he was lamenting wasn’t Ahsoka’s. “I need you to head immediately to the Senator’s apartment and call the 501st.”

“What? Why?” Anakin was trying to think of what would qualify both actions and came up blank. ‘Ahsoka would know. She could be extremely clever.’

“We’re putting together a small search party for Ahsoka. I don’t like the terms she left on.” Anakin’s heart stopped. Of everyone on Coruscant, the last person he expected to go out to find Ahsoka was his old master, let alone that he was willing to use GAR resources to do so. “Anakin? Are you still-”

“I’m on my way.” Anakin threw his comm in the seat beside him and pulled into traffic at breakneck speed. He could hear the wind whistling past him as he flew like hell was on his heels. Anakin arrived at Padmé’s apartment, shaving whole minutes off his best time, barely parking before running to the living room to find Obi-wan and Padmé starring at his comm in absolute disbelief. “I’m here. I’m here. What’s the status of the search?”

“Anakin,” drawled Obi-wan quietly, not lifting his eyes to Anakin, “do either of us want to know how fast you were going or how many traffic laws you just broke?” It was then that Anakin remembered that he forgot to turn off his comm. Realizing his old master and his wife probably just listened to numerous different beings scream at him at he zoomed in and out of traffic to get there, Anakin sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck in answer. “The only reason I’m not giving you the lecture of a lifetime is that Ahsoka is still missing, and you somehow beyond all reason arrived in one piece. Now, go back to your speeder and get your comm to call your captain so the 501st can join the search.”

Feeling like a scolded little padawan, Anakin quickly did as he was told. Soon, he was dialing the barracks, but Rex didn’t pick up.

“ARC Trooper 5555 of the 501st, reporting for duty,” said Fives. 

“Fives? Why are you answering the comm? Where’s Rex?” Anakin asked curiously.

“Oh, hey General. Rex is in his office, so I assumed command for the time being.” Anakin winced. He had made it clear to everyone that Rex was not to be disturbed in his office unless the barracks were under attack. He knew how important it was for him to have a retreat from the pressures of command, especially with how much he put the poor man through on the regular. The only reason he hadn’t forbidden Ahsoka is that she seemed to lighten the captain’s load, if only because Ahsoka had him wrapped around her little finger. It reminded him of the peace Padmé gave him.

“Well, get him over here if you can. We are forming a search party to bring- to find Ahsoka.” Anakin wasn’t sure if that meant she would stay or not. He tried not to think that far ahead. First, he needed to see with his own two eyes that she was safe.

“Really?” Fives yelled. “Boys! We’re bringing Ahsoka home! Get kitted up!” Cheers of elation went up, and Anakin decided he should’ve asked for Jesse. Now, the men’s hopes were sky-high, and he couldn’t reliably say she was going to come back.

“Fives-” The line went dead, and Anakin sighed. He simply hung his head and waited for Fives to call back when he realized he didn’t know what his orders were. Hopefully, Rex could rein in on his little brother. If not, they were all goners.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to all those who have left such nice reviews. Y'all are too kind to one such as me, a lowly first-timer.


	8. Beware the Twi'lek as She Rages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bly usually loved being with his general, but not right now.

Bly usually loved being with his general. She was everything he had ever wanted in a general and everything he ever needed in a friend and everything he never even  _ knew _ he wanted in a woman all rolled into one. Of course, nothing would ever come of it. She was a Jedi and his superior officer while he was a clone, meant to be replaceable at a moment’s notice. So he made himself content with just basking in her light as her friend and commander, and usually, that was alright, but not right now. 

Right now, his usually unphased general was  _ raging _ . If he were a braver man, he might try to record this incident to show Rex to show that Fives wasn’t  _ that  _ bad. But alas, he was not stupid enough to try as his general paced like a wild nexu throwing anything in her path aside with the Force, screaming and yelling and cursing in every language she knew, never staying longer than a few phrases before shifting languages again. The reason as to why Aayla was an absolute storm to rival any seen on Kamino was simple: her favorite padawan had up and walked out the door of the Temple without even waiting to say goodbye. 

Ever since that incident at Maridun, Aayla had taken an unshakable shine to the younger female. It didn’t help matters that Bly had secretly told her that she should take Ahsoka on as her padawan if Skywalker didn’t pull through on the mission. (Rex had punched him in the face hard enough that he was sure Aayla was going to riot and then refused to talk to him for two months after he told him. It was only when Cody threatened to get their generals switched that they were able to patch up their friendship.) But Skywalker had, and while Aayla didn’t want Skywalker to die, Bly could see she was a little disappointed that her new little buddy wouldn’t be setting off with them. 

“General,” Bly started. Aayla immediately turned around, marched right up to him, and put her face a breath’s length away from his. Had he not been in mortal fear of his life, he might have been giddy.

“Yes, Bly?” said Aayla. “Do you have something to say?”

“Yes.” Squaring his shoulders, he continued, “Since we have been given leave and are headed back to Coruscant anyway, I suggest we try and get in touch with the 501st. If they haven’t already found her, I can guarantee that Captain Rex is putting together a search party. We could offer the 327th as support.” He held his breath as Aayla, not backing away, turned over the suggestion in her mind. Suddenly, she spun around with the grace of a dancer and stalked over to her window.

“Make the call.” It was only because of Bly’s mastery over his own body that he didn’t audibly let out his breath. He quickly turned around and made the call to Rex. He hoped for all their sakes that he wasn’t doing what Bly  _ really  _ thought he was up to, what Bly himself would be doing in his situation: drowning in that big bottle of whiskey Cody gave him for making captain. When he called and heard Fives answer, he knew he was right and quietly sighed. It was going to be a long, long,  _ long _ leave. 


	9. Palpatine's Delight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palpatine was absolutely giddy for a Sith lord.

Palpatine was absolutely giddy for a Sith lord. He had gotten rid of that pesky padawan, and now, Anakin was all that much closer to being his. It almost made him want to give an evil chuckle.

He really outdid himself this time. The Offee girl had been too easy to influence, too full of that disgusting compassion the Jedi valued so much. It was easy to suggest that she needed to make a statement about the war. From there, it was only a matter of making sure she got in touch with the right people: the disapproving wife, namely. Knowing Offee would place blame on the Tano brat, all he had to do was wait for Tarkin to charge Tano and for the Jedi to turn their backs on the ‘traitor.’

Of course, he hadn’t thought Anakin would put together the plot so quickly. What the boy lacked in brains, he apparently made up for in determination. He had been angry that his carefully constructed plan had failed, of course, already planning the next attack, when word reached him via his extensive spy network that Tano had refused the Jedi’s offer of return. He had been pleasantly surprised, especially when he found that this conclusion caused far more distress than what he had initially planned. Then, when the stupid boy had tried to find his failed apprentice, well, it was easy to make it look like the Force wanted him to leave her behind, just like she had left him.

‘Oh yes, he was on the right track,’ thought Palpatine. Then, he felt it. That revolting thing called hope taking root in Anakin’s soul. The rage that surged through Palpatine was immediately tamped down for later. He had to find out what was happening and how to stop this. And he knew just what to do. Acting quickly, he picked up a comm and dialed.

“Skywalker,” Anakin replied promptly. Palpatine could have smiled.

“Anakin, my boy, I just wanted to make sure you and your padawan were okay, especially with all that sham of a trial. Why don’t the two of you come to my office and the three of us have a chat? I want so much to explain my actions to the poor girl. I hope she’s not too shaken,” Palpatine drawled easily. It never ceased to amaze him how brilliant a liar he was. A slight pause occurred, and Palpatine could feel the juicy despair as it fell over Anakin like a sheet over furniture.

“Ahsoka’s not with me, but if you like I could come alone,” he responded. ‘Hook, line, and sinker.’

“What? Not with you? But I was sure- Yes, Anakin. Come at once. I will see you shortly.” Ending the conversation, Palpatine leaned back and thought of nothing but sweet things like the Jedi Order torn asunder and galactic domination. 


	10. Obi-wan's Nostalgia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Obi-wan finally shows Anakin the kind of affection he always wanted to.

“Alright, Obi-wan,” said Anakin, “what was that?” Obi-wan simply smiled at his old apprentice. 

“What was what?” asked Obi-wan, turning and walking away to get away from the many generals, senators, and commanders pouring over maps of Coruscant and trying to determine where Ahsoka had gone. An irate Aayla Secura had recently marched into the apartment with Shaak Ti and Commander Bly in tow, and they were quickly being filled in on the situation. The room was then to the brim of occupants, and Obi-wan wanted to speak with his padawan without all the crowding bodies and onlookers.

Thankfully, Anakin got the hint and followed his old master into a side room that was being remade into a temporary med-wind. (Kix and Coric had insisted, and no one had dared stopped them. Neither were there at the moment, which suited Obi-wan just fine.)

“You’ve _never_ like Palpatine. I distinctly remember you throwing an absolute fit when you found out about our field trips,” declared Anakin. Obi-wan wanted to roll his eyes. He wouldn’t call marching up to the Chancellor’s office, giving barely veiled threats about taking ‘his boy’ as he had called Anakin in the confrontation (He had meant padawan, but that’s only because of the Council. Anakin had been his boy since the moment he had sneaked into his bed in the dead of night because he was terrified of the water in the pipes only a week into his apprenticeship. Anakin had always been his boy, and the Chancellor needed to understand he wasn’t giving him up.), and being called in by the Council for a scolding like a rebellious padawan learner ‘throwing an absolute fit.’ Besides, the man had taken his twelve-year-old padawan to a _bar_ on one of the _lowest_ levels _without his permission._

“So why am I pushing you to go now? Is that what you’re asking?” Anakin nodded, and Obi-wan had to suppress the urge to put his hands on his shoulders like he did when Anakin was still his little padawan who thought he was the man who hung the stars because he was always there to remind him of the light. “You’re right in saying I don’t like Palpatine, I never have.” _‘Especially since he has constantly tried to edge me out of your life.’_ “I won’t pretend that I even like him being remotely close to you or any of others, but, for the moment, we need to distract him.”

“Distract him? Why? It’s not like he wouldn’t support our looking for Ahsoka.” Obi-wan sighed internally. He had hoped that Ahsoka’s trial would have shown Anakin how self-serving the man truly was and how he had no problem in using others for his personal use.

“Anakin, do you remember how he had acted when you came in with Barriss at Ahsoka’s trial? Right before he was about to give the verdict and pass judgment?” Anakin winced like Obi-wan had stuck him with a needle, and Obi-wan knew he had hit the nail on the head. “He would’ve sentenced Ahsoka to die, Anakin. _Him._ Not the jury. Not Tarkin. Him. And I doubt he would’ve given her a lighter sentence if you asked him. Sure, he would have dressed up his reasons with pretty words and seemingly logical answers, but he would sign the death warrant. Because of that, and all the things he’s done since the day he learned about you, I don’t trust him to not try and quietly pull support from the search parties.”

“What do you mean?” Anakin asked, somewhat hesitantly. Obi-wan could see the trepidation in his eyes.

“I mean, at first he’ll say he’s all for it. Then, he’ll say that there are too many people looking for her when we don’t know if she even wants to be found, which would be beside the point. Then, he’ll start sending us away, back to war until we only search for her maybe every so-”

“Not that,” cut in Anakin. “What did you mean by ‘all the things he’s done?’” Never had Obi-wan been more reminded of the little boy who had looked at Qui Gon’s body with abject fear as they lit the pyre. He had wanted to hide him away in his robes then but knew he couldn’t be so bold in front of the Council so soon after his ultimatum, lest they should have decided to take the boy away. Now, no such Council stopped him. He quickly took Anakin in his arms, as he had done while sharing sleeping spaces during missions where he could play off his affection as just normal sleeping habits. It seemed Anakin wasn’t the only one with problems of attachment.

“Don’t you worry,” he whispered into his boy’s ear. “Just go and distract Palpatine from our search, and, by the time you return, Ahsoka will be nice and safe in this apartment. Can you do that for me?” He realized his tone was a bit softer than what he usually used. It was the tone he used for children they came across on campaigns and for Anakin when he was only nine-years-old and having trouble focusing on the Force because the Force was ‘too big’ he always said. (Looking back, Anakin was just having a hard time coping with his natural abilities since he was so young, but they had gotten through it.) He pulled back, hands still on Anakin’s arms, to look at his boy as he nodded his head. “Thank you,” said Obi-wan with a smile. “Go on. He’s expecting you.”

Anakin nodded again and turned to the door. He hesitated for a moment, and Obi-wan was sure his little padawan from all those years ago would be there when Anakin turned around and would cry ‘But Obi, I don’t _want_ to go,’ as he did every time the Council demanded him for testing. But he didn’t. Anakin kept going all the way to his speeder, and, with every step, Obi-wan wanted to catch up and demand to go along. Obi-wan always wanted Anakin in eyesight, so when the anxiety of separation from his boy arose anew, Obi-wan stomped down on it with the memories of every time Anakin had made Death (and himself) tremble. 

Taking a deep breath, Obi-wan rejoined the conference area to make good on his promise. Ahsoka would be brought back to this apartment if only to take the meager wallet and comm he managed to scrounge up. Cody looked up at his arrival, but Obi-wan simply shook his head. Now was not the time to focus on him. His grandpadawan and padawan were out there, and he had to do what he could to protect them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the reviews! I felt y'all generous beings deserved a nice little reward, so I posted the next four chapters. But! It's now 4:30 am where I am, so I'm out like a light.


	11. Captain Rex's Hangover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex woke up to a pounding headache and an empty barracks.

Rex woke up to a pounding headache and an empty barracks. It seemed like a different reality, something to reflect what he felt on the inside as he was reminded once again just how alone he really was. He wanted to be angry. He had learned at least anger didn’t make you kiss your blaster. Instead, he was filled with self-loathing and the desperate desire to track down Ahsoka and beg her to reconsider while he made a thousand and one promises to be better, to never let that those _di’kute_ called the Council touch her, to protect her with his life.

Sighing, Rex sat up in his bunk and noticed a bottle of water and note under that. Grabbing the water, he made quick work of that before reading the note.

> Dear Rex,  
>  Fives told me what you did. We will be having a very long chat about proper coping mechanisms after we bring Ahsoka home. Don’t bother looking for the whiskey. I poured it down the sink before you could try to kill any more of your brain cells. Little gods know you can’t lose any more.  
>  When you get up, kit up and meet us at Amidala’s apartment.  
>  Sincerely,  
>  Kix  
>  Ps, the next time you pull something like this, I go directly to the general and let him deal with you.  
> 

Rex groaned. While there wasn’t all that much left in the bottle, there still was a good inch or so left. Maybe he could ask Cody where he got it, but that would mean copping to what he did with the first one, and if it was bad that Kix found out, it would be apocalyptic for Cody to find out. He could always go to 79’s, but that would mean finding transportation to and back, and it would look funny for a captain to be spending into the triple-digit credit range for transport and alcohol, never mind he would have to get Anakin’s sign off. 

Rex decided it wasn’t worth the fight and just got up. Rereading Kix’s note, Rex contemplated the chances of seeing Ahsoka again and whether or not seeing her would just bring him more pain. He remembered the relief he felt the first time he thought she was lost forever on Geonosis. How happy he was to see her pulled out of the dirt relatively unharmed and how much he had wanted to pull her in him and never let go. That was the first time he realized he loved her.

The second time, he had just returned from his stay on Cut’s farm. He had been dreaming about Saleucami and Cut’s farm when he realized that Cut and his family were gone. In their places, were two little half-Togruta half-human children running after each other in the fields to the side while Rex could hear a lullaby from inside the house. He was making his way to the house when the two children had screamed and high-tailed towards him. Without thinking, he held out his arms, and they jumped in. Looking down, he saw Ahsoka’s sweet orange skin and ocean-blue eyes staring up at him from two kids (one boy and one girl) as they talked over one another about this or that, occasionally saying ‘Dad,’ like that was him. Then, from the porch, he saw an older Ahsoka come out with a baby in her arms. She smiled and said, “Rex, it’s your watch.” 

He was then jarred awake by Fives who was saying what his dream-Ahsoka was saying just a moment ago. That dream would repeat itself, giving him a much-needed break from the voice saying ‘Commence Order 66,’ and Ahsoka dead at his feet, but it still made him uneasy. Ahsoka would never settle down on some dusty agricultural planet with him. It just wasn’t in her nature. As for children, he would die just as they reached adulthood if he was lucky, assuming he got past this gods-forsaken war. 

Nevertheless, it reminded him of how absolute her hold on him was, and the dream kept coming. Sometimes Ahsoka would walk up to him and present him with the baby. Sometimes she would call him to her and give him a kiss upon reaching her. Sometimes he woke up before he ever saw her. As he visited (read: freed) more places, this dream-Ahsoka would appear in more and more locales. 

Once, right after the mission on Zygerria, his dream had taken place in one of those fancy rooms in the palace complex he barely saw, and Ahsoka had strutted in with her disguise on. She was older here too, but not as old as she usually appeared. If he had to guess, he would say his mind had conjured a barely eighteen-year-old version of his lady love to occupy his dreams for the night. Her smile was sultry as if she had come with the sole purpose of entrapping him in her spell. When he asked what she was doing, she responded that ‘Master had sent for her, so she came.’ He looked around, but couldn’t find Skywalker and said as much. She giggled before coming even closer and placing a hand on his chest. Looking down, he only wore his off-duty pants though this dream-Ahsoka (though it was quickly turning to a nightmare) didn’t seem to mind as she pulled on his chin and licked her lips before saying, ‘Not that master, Master.’ 

Before he could really process what she had just called him, she kissed with a passion he only wished he could see, holding on to his head and leaning back to give him a better angle. His hands went to her waist without his permission, and the fake-Ahsoka moaned into his mouth like she was tasting heaven. He started awake (thankfully, in his opinion) just as the dream-Ahsoka started down his chest with her hands, towards his belt and zipper. Rex did the only sensible thing after that and took the coldest shower he could for as long as he could. He had planned to avoid Ahsoka after that too, but she wouldn’t let him. There were a few dreams like that since then, a few seemed to even give him the real Ahsoka, but he never stayed in those dreams for long and he always hated himself for debasing her in his mind afterward. (He never thought he would be thankful for all the training those kriffing Long-Necks gave them, but never say never apparently.)

There were other signs. The time he was watching her back and not the low-hanging pipe in front of him. The times he caught himself staring at her while she did mundane tasks or fought her way through those blasted clankers (that once caused him to get an embarrassing injury, causing everyone, even Wolffe, ripping his a new one for acting like a ‘damn shiny _di’kut_ ’ in the grumpy commander’s words). The time he caved to her begging and tooka eyes and let her drag him around a local marketplace to find the perfect gift for Skywalker’s ‘birthday.’ (They both knew they were there for a gift for the general’s anniversary though he never did find out how she knew. She ended up getting him a holodisk of romantic slow jams ‘as a joke.’) The time he almost killed that Bonteri kid for stealing her first kiss (and for leading her into a deathtrap, but mostly the kiss).

A comm broke him out of his reflection on all the ways his love permeated through his life and mind. “Rex,” he answered without fail.

“Rex, this is Anakin. I don’t know where you are, but I need you to go to Senator Amidala’s apartment and take over for me there,” said his general from the other side of the call. “I’m going to give you some cover with the Chancellor, but I don’t know how much time I can buy you, so hurry if you can. Skywalker over and out.” The comm ended, and Rex knew at that moment that it didn’t matter if it killed him when she eventually walked away again, he had to bring Ahsoka home. If things were bad enough that Skywalker was handing over control of a situation _and_ going behind the Chancellor’s back, it was no longer about him. It was about the most beautiful and wonderful creature to ever breathe was out there alone, not knowing how very loved she was. He had to let her know that, even if she rejected their love, rejected _his_ love. He had to find her and let her know.

The pity-party was over. Captain Rex of the 501st Battalion of the Grand Army of Republic was back in action and on the hunt for his wayward commander. Her days on the street were numbered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like the chapter! Let me know what you think, as I have loved hearing from you.


	12. R2-D2's Adventures in Illegal Activities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> R2-D2 was beyond annoyed at his organic units.

R2-D2 was beyond annoyed at his organic units. First, Unit-4, AKA Ahsoka_Tano, AKA Little_Sister, had gotten herself arrested _twice_ , put on trial for something her untrustworthy rust bucket of friend with a broke logic board did, and then had the audacity to not come and immediately ask for forgiveness. Not only that, but she missed her creation day when he actually went to the trouble of getting her a gift. (C-3PO helped, but the small pendant in the form of a star was mostly his idea.) He was willing to overlook this however, given that her logic board did, on occasion, miscalculated when under duress. (He would admit that when it came to running calculations with her, his logic boards always tilted a bit in her favor, but it wasn’t his fault she gave the best and most frequent oil baths.)

Then, Unit-1, AKA Anakin_Skywalker, AKA Death-wisher, had run off without telling him. (Not that it mattered, he could track any one of them with the tracers he had planted in their food. He was not losing one of _his_ organic units, thank you very much.) Instead, he went to Unit-2, AKA Padmé_Amidala, AKA Angel, at her apartment breaking numerous laws in the process. (Anakin was so lucky his droid had reprogrammed the traffic bots to not register his infractions.) And finally, Unit-3, AKA Obi-wan_Kenobi, AKA Papa_Jedi, had also just up and left him behind. It was uncalled for, unfair, and unnecessary. 

Now, he had to cover up dozens of search parties’ comms and movements from GAR_Intelligence when all this could’ve been settled if just _one_ of these malfunctioning organic units used their logic boards and asked him where Unit-4 had gone.

“You are Anakin’s droid, are you not?” asked a level-voice. R2-D2 swiveled his camera around to scan the organic unit speaking to him. She registered as Luminara_Unduli.

[I am] responded R2-D2. [Why?]

“I’m looking for Ahsoka Tano, and I thought I might ask you where she might’ve gone,” the Jedi master replied. R2-D2 could’ve screamed for joy. If this organic unit had been his, she would have been Unit-6, AKA Luminara_Unduli, AKA The_Smart_One. He gave the location of Unit-4 easily and without hesitation. “Thank you.” The Jedi master turned to leave before returning again. “Droid, what are you doing?”

[Hiding an illegal operation of GAR resources to find and retrieve Unit-4, AKA Ahsoka_Tano, AKA Little_Sister] R2-D2 replied honestly. He registered mild surprise on the organic’s face.

“I see,” she said. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “Could you reroute all search parties if they start closing in on Ahsoka? I need to speak with her privately.” R2-D2 made a sound of indignation. He was insulted that she would ask such a thing. Of course he could! “I’m sorry to cause offense. I only meant to ask if you would.” 

[Only if you bring Unit-4, AKA Ahsoka_Tano, AKA Little_Sister, back. She’s the only one around here who remembers my oil baths.]

“You have my word droid.” And with that, the Jedi master left the droid to his cover-up of illegal activities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @MartinTell015 I already had this chapter lined up for today when I saw your comment. I cannot express how both amused and annoyed I was, but it was still impressive, so an extra chapter will be posted today. You are strong in the Force


	13. The Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin distracts the Chancellor and learns a few things while doing so.

Anakin had never been so lost in his life. The man before him, while always polite, moved with a certain happiness that grated on his nerves as he slowly started to realize what Obi-wan was talking about as pieces started to click together as the Chancellor made gallant apologies yet increasingly hurtful points about Ahsoka’s present condition.

“I must say,” he started again, “as sad as it may be, I think this will turn out to be a good lesson for you.” Palpatine was pouring glasses of water for the both of them from a refreshments table on the side of the room. “Perhaps, now, you will see that the Jedi need to be more severely regulated.”

“Chancellor?” Anakin asked. He had no clue what he was going on about. At least he stopped trying to say that Ahsoka was trying to get back at him. Ahsoka was many things, but she had not once ever been petty or jealous to warrant such behavior, especially for her own benefit.

“Well, my boy, it’s the _Jedi_ who abandoned her in favor of a traitor. The Republic, because of the Council’s secrecy, almost mistakenly executed a loyal young lady on the brink of adulthood.” Palpatine sighed and brought the glasses back to couches where they were situated. (Though Anakin had thought to sit by the desk, Palpatine had insisted on something more ‘casual.’) “Honestly, I don’t know why they distrust me so. It’s not like I’ve done anything to them. I’ve simply done my best to be a good Chancellor, and while I’d admit I’ve not made the best decision at times, I think I’ve done the best I could and with moderate success.” Handing Anakin a glass, he sat down opposite Anakin. “That’s why we need to bring the Jedi back into the fold. They’ve had too much freedom with too little results. Had they been under Republic jurisdiction, perhaps little Tano would still be with us.” Anakin didn’t like the way the Chancellor spoke about Ahsoka like she was dead already. Part of him thought the Chancellor was hoping she was.

“I wouldn’t know,” said Anakin eventually. “I’ve never been much for politics myself.” 

“Of course,” Palpatine laughed. “A man of action. That’s what you are. And the Republic thanks you for it. I’ve always said that we need more men like you. Maybe then this war would be over.” Anakin wondered if Palpatine realized the irony in a politician, a man of words, saying the Republic needed more men of action. “I lament I’m not as young as I used to be, or less I might be tempted to join you, but alas, I’m just a poor old man.” Anakin forced a smile.

“Trust me, you wouldn’t be so tempted if you saw what action really was,” said Anakin. “Besides, Obi-wan says that discretion is the better part of valor.”

“Master Kenobi,” Palpatine drawled, “is very wise, but sometimes, I wonder if he is not just a bit jealous of you and your natural abilities.” Palpatine took the time to sip from his glass, but Anakin could see him fighting a smile. Just as he was about to rip him a new one, he forced himself to quiet his anger towards the unusually irritating man. 

“I don’t think so. I’ve come to realize that my old master has always had my best interests at heart and only wants what’s best for me. I think that’s the lesson to gain from all this.” Anakin carefully watched the man across from him and for the briefest second saw unadulterated rage cross his face.

“Anakin, whatever do you mean?” The slight quiver in his jaw was the only outward sign of Palpatine’s emotions, and Anakin took it as a small victory.

“It’s just, I think I’m realizing that with everything I’ve put him through when I was a padawan and all the expectations and watchful eyes that were on him because of my unique situation, he couldn’t be the master I wanted him to be or the master _he_ wanted _himself_ to be. Plus, we were both so lonely and hurt when we were put together that neither of us could really give it our all. Not to say he wasn’t a great master, I think that maybe I just wasn’t that great a padawan, because all that was in my past that weighed me down, and teaching Ahsoka and watching her go through this ordeal has made me realize how much Obi-wan was really there for me and how ungrateful I’ve been. So, if nothing else, I want to start trying to repair the relationship I have with my master before it’s too late. Losing Ahsoka like this has really taught me that my friendships and partnerships are very special and fragile things, and I can’t let petty things get in the way anymore.” 

Palpatine was silent for a while after his speech, not betraying anything as he let the monologue settle in his mind. In the interim, Anakin reviewed his words internally and found he meant every word. Obi-wan had been acting strangely overt lately. While Anakin always thought he cared and proved as much with subtle and little things (reminding him to tune-up his arm and leg, making sure the coffee was fresh when he had watch duty on the ship, treating him to Dex’s after particularly hard campaigns when he wondered how he was going to get all the blood off, treating Ahsoka like a second padawan without overlooking his own needs despite him being a knight and should have been independent of his master by now, etc.), he always was somewhat passive in his affection. It hadn’t started with Ahsoka being arrested, but it certainly became more evident afterward.

“I see,” started Palpatine. “I see you have put a lot of thought into this.” Reluctance bordering on annoyance colored his countenance. “I know there is no talking you out of it, but I hope, for your sake, you’re right. I would hate for you to invest so much time and effort in a man unwilling to return the favor.”

“Chancellor, that’s where you’re wrong. _I’m_ the one returning the favor.” 

From there, the conversation veered into far lighter subjects: this or that political scandal, new regulations for the clone troopers (Palpatine assured him that they would be receiving full rights as citizens of the Republic _after_ the war, but Anakin wasn’t so sure…), and some rumors going around about the Senate. Some harmless, others less so, but nothing Anakin particularly felt warranted his attention. Soon, night had descended on Coruscant, and Anakin felt a bit of panic from the lack of communication from his master regarding Ahsoka. Palpatine soon started to politely yet insistently push Anakin out the door, though Anakin couldn’t bring himself to be offended. 

With promises to call again soon, Anakin quickly fled the Chancellor to his speeder. Once he got there, his comm went off.

“Skywalker,” he replied tiredly.

“Anakin, it’s me,” said Obi-wan. “Hurry to the senator’s apartment. It’s Ahsoka.”


	14. Luminara’s Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To say she was surprised at the Jedi master at her door would've been an understatement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist.

To say she was surprised to see the master of her friend-turned-traitor in front of her at the door of the apartment belonging to the woman who they once fought together was a _gross_ understatement. When Asajj answered the door and said, “Well, that was fast,” Ahsoka had looked up from her food to find the Jedi master calmly standing before the ex-Sith-turned-bounty-hunter’s door.

“Is Ahsoka here? I wish to speak to her,” said Master Luminara, and Asajj only looked to Ahsoka for permission, before standing aside for the master to walk in quietly. Walking to the couch to grab a jacket and her holsters for her lightsabers.

“I’m going to go for a walk to give you two privacy, but I’ll be in the area,” said Asajj, putting the jacket on. “Just give a yell when you two are done talking.” And without further ado, Ahsoka’s temporary host walked out into the cold Coruscanti streets.

Awkward silence filled the apartment as Ahsoka tried to find the words to address the Jedi before her. Once she thought that Luminara was one of those severely orthodox and detached Jedi, but, upon spending time with her, Ahsoka learned the Jedi master was just rather reserved and preferred to show affection in the same ways Obi-wan did. In reality, Luminara had loved Barriss like a mother, and the revelation that she had caused so much destruction and nearly gotten pawned off the guilt on someone else must have been world-ending painful. 

“I’m sorry,” she finally said, “about Barriss. I don’t know what happened. I mean, I always knew she objected to the war and the Jedi’s role in it, but I never thought-” Ahsoka trailed off, choosing to leave Barriss’ s crimes unsaid. 

“Barriss,” Luminara started before clearing her throat and starting again. “Barriss … has been mistaken about a few things lately, and I’m sorry for not seeing my padawan’s struggle before she took action, but I’m not here to discuss Barriss. Ahsoka, do you know what you’re doing?” Luminara looked at Ahsoka as she shifted her food around her plate. Dread filled the pit of Ahsoka’s stomach.

“Asajj said I could stay here until I got back on my feet, and I’ve already started looking for a jo-”

“No, not what you’re doing here. Do you know what you’re doing?” Ahsoka’s head snapped up so she could look at the Jedi Master. She had a strange look on her face. It looked like pity, confusion, and anger all found common ground on Luminara’s face. 

“Master, what are you talking about?” Ahsoka had found a place to stay and was making a plan to get her life together. What else could she be referring to?

“Have you even _tried_ to contact your men? Or the Senator Amidala? Do you know how worried they all are? You walked off without saying a word to anyone other than Anakin. Don’t you think that they deserve more than a second-hand apology and explanation?” Luminara’s words struck Ahsoka deeply. The truth is she did think about going to the barracks and saying goodbye. She thought about what she would say to each trooper, had it all planned out until she reached Rex. He was different.

Since the moment he told her that ‘experience outranks everything,’ she had held the man in high esteem. Through him and the example he unknowingly set, she learned everything she needed to lead her men into battle. Sure, Anakin was her master, and he taught her how to be a Jedi, but Rex taught her how to be a commander in an army of brothers, how to be one of them without leaving herself behind. Her creche masters had tried to convey the sentiment, but she never understood it until she was among the clones. All in one and one in all. 

The Jedi were a group of individuals, but a Jedi didn’t necessarily need others and could separate from the group (or leave someone behind as her case showed). The clones were not so. They were individuals, but they acted as one and became stronger than the sum of their numbers when together. Ahsoka, upon learning the difference, worried she would never be one of their numbers, but her men had no such fears. 

When off the battlefield, they called her by her name and invited her along to whatever they were doing. (Fives tried to sneak her over to 79’s and had even gotten _Rex_ on board, but Anakin had shut that down as soon as he heard. The next time they had a battalion meeting, Anakin was forced to negotiate with his men on when they could take her. It was decided her eighteenth birthday would be the day.) She was included in every aspect of clone life and culture from mealtimes to training schedules to secret hobbies and games. (Fives had cried when she had gifted them a few cans acrylic paint she found in 501st blue from Raxus.) It wasn’t until she got hurt really bad hurt on a campaign, and Kix took one look at her chart and screamed ‘JC-0001! You better have a good explanation for this!’ that Ahsoka discovered how accepted into the clones' lives she was. Unsure what he was talking about, she asked him, and he informed her that not only had he pretty much done the clone equivalent triple-named her but that JC-0001 was her official clone number (as per the request of several different troopers). She immediately started crying, and Kix, not being trained for that, put her under ‘to better treat her.’ (The fact he had started reading all he could on teenage Togrutan girls’ physiological responses and how to deal with them immediately afterward was completely unrelated.)

Rex gave her that. He had come in and taught her how to be a sister to his brothers, which was why her definitely-not-sibling-friendly feelings towards her captain made her so uneasy and why it was impossible for her to say goodbye to them. Every time she thought about it, she imagined him just sadly sighing and walking away, something that destroyed her every time. It would have been painful to say goodbye to any one of them. (There had been a tradition among the 501st that every man cut their little sister some slack for a few days after battles as she was always a bit delicate after losing men. This was established after Echo accidentally ran into Ahsoka bawling her eyes out in an abandoned supplies closet, clutching a helmet of a shiny she had lost to her chest like her life depended on it. Apparently, he had shielded her from some shrapnel and she couldn't let go of the fact she didn't know his name. Rex had asked around, and, within the hour, his commanding officer had come up to comfort her, saying 'He was a trooper through and through, miss, and Slips wouldn't want you to cry over him.' It still took at least another hour before she gave up the helmet, and another two after that for her to cry herself to sleep. She woke up in the barracks in one of clones' cots past lights out with Rex sleeping on the floor next to her.) But Rex was different. Rex never left. Rex always came back for her. Rex made her feel like she wasn't just a Jedi. She wasn't sure what exactly he made her feel, but it was definitely against the Code.

Ahsoka felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Luminara. “Sometimes the most necessary actions are the hardest,” said Luminara.

“What if I can’t do it?” asked Ahsoka, tearing up. “What if I get there, and they’re all looking at me, and I just can’t do it?”

“Then, maybe, you weren’t meant to leave them.”


	15. The Queen of Naboo Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sight before her shocked and froze her to her spot.

The sight before her shocked and froze her to her spot. Standing on her patio was Luminara and Ahsoka. Padmé had blinked several times before, finally, the spectacle sunk in. That’s when Fives had caught sight of her and damn near ran over her in a desire to get to his ‘little sister.’

“AHSOKA! Oh, thank the stars!” he screamed while gathering her up in the biggest bear hug he could while strapped down with his full gear.

“Fives… Can’t … Breathe,” Ahsoka managed to get out. Fives laughed and put her back down on her feet, keeping his hands on her arms.

“Oh Ahsoka,” he started, “ **where in the nine Corellian hells did you go? What the _kriff_ were you thinking?**” By the time Fives had gotten to the end, he was red in the face mad. “Well?” 

“Uh… uh…” Ahsoka stuttered, trying to regain control of the situation. From what Padmé could tell, Fives never scolded anyone (never any high ground), so this little exchange would have been quite entertaining had it not been for the obvious circumstances. Soon, Fives had gotten fed up with Ahsoka’s answer and so fireman-carried her into her living room/search party headquarters to better scold her with the others.

Upon placing her back on the floor in the apartment, everyone stopped what they were doing and rushed her. First, everyone was so happy that they simply were trying to hold her attention for even a second as they welcomed her back. Then, when most happy feelings were replaced with anger and pain at her departure (though Plo was still sobbing uncontrollably with happiness in the background), people started yelling at her for pulling her little stunt (Wolffe, Aayla, and Fives chief among this group) and asking why she had done such a thing (Cody, Riyo, and a slightly smaller clone named Brii leading this camp). Padmé allowed this scene for five minutes, watching as Ahsoka became more and more overwhelmed by the sheer number of people calling for her attention, before calmly walking over to the light switches and flickering them on and off until everyone was looking at her like she was crazy.

“Now that I have your attention,” she said with a tone of voice she hadn’t used since her time as queen, “we will all go to the next room and see that all our questions are answered. If troopers not part of planning wish to contribute, they will participate via comm from the 501st barracks. They have thirty minutes to get themselves situated. We will conduct this little town hall of ours with civility and in an orderly fashion. There will be no bickering, fighting, or speaking out of turn. Am I understood?” A surprising round of ‘yes sir’ was heard from the clones. Then, all could be heard was the shuffling of papers and commanders quickly filling in their troops as they raced back to the 501st barracks. (Padmé could have sworn she heard one clone repeating ‘kriffkriffkriffkriffkriff’ over and over again into the comm, but let it go.) Padmé walked calmly over to Ahsoka, grabbed her by the hand, and swiftly walked her to the room she had Sabé get ready. “Now that’s settled, why don’t we make a _few_ things clear from the get-go.”

Walking over to the closet (filled with clothes Padmé had wanted to give to Ahsoka over the past year but couldn’t because of the Order’s rules on material items), Padmé flung open the door and gestured to it. “This is your closet. It is fully stocked with clothes, shoes, and accessories in your size. There is an outfit for every event and occasion. You will wear these while you are here,” she said, looking Ahsoka dead in the eye. Next, she stalked to the desk by the wall. “This is your desk. If you have any work, especially school work, it will be done here promptly and diligently.” Changing direction to the door opposite the closet, she opened it to reveal a large refresher bigger than her room in the Temple. “This is your refresher. You will bathe, brush your teeth, and all other hygiene-related activities here.” Finally, she marched to the bed, pointed straight down, and said, “This is your bed. You will spend _every_ night here unless otherwise approved by me in advance. This makes up your bedroom. When not dressing, sleeping, or using the refresher, you will spend your time with productive pursuits in the company of me, one of my handmaids, Threepio, or someone else in the apartment.” 

Crossing her arms, she continued, “You will eat in the dining room. Breakfast and dinner are to be eaten with me unless otherwise stipulated by me. If you need anything, you will inform either me, one of my handmaids, or Threepio. You will not leave this apartment without either myself, Anakin, one of the 501st, Obi-wan, or another suitable guardian is with you. You will not go anywhere without my permission. The only places you may go to are the barracks, any engagements you will attend with me as my ward, and Dex’s Diner. Any other places will have been approved by me a week in advance. You will not leave this apartment more than five times a week. You may not have any uninvited guests of any sort, and all guests must have informed me of their visit. No more than five visits per week. If I go home to Naboo, you will come with me or stay at the barracks where you will give proof thrice daily you have not left. None of this is negotiable as this is not a negotiation. Until you have proven to me you can be trusted with yourself and have shown what you plan to do with yourself now that you’ve left the Order, you will be living here, with me, where I, Threepio, my handmaids, my security team, Anakin, and the many other people you’ve scared today with your wild antics can keep an eye on you.” 

Ahsoka looked absolutely dumbfounded and not unlike a scolded child, and while Padmé would usually feel bad about that usually (and later that night as she wondered if she was too hard with the girl while Anakin wisely slept at the Temple instead), she had quite the day today, organizing multiple search parties only for Master Unduli (gods and little fish bless her) to bring the wayward young lady home, not to mention the days of quiet terror she felt when Ahsoka was being charged with treason.

“I’m sorry Padmé,” Ahsoka said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you or disappoint you or worry you. I just couldn’t stay there anymore.” 

“So why didn’t you come to me?” demanded Padmé. “Have I ever mistreated you? Or made you feel like you weren’t welcome? Tell me Ahsoka, because I’ve been racking my head all day trying to figure out how someone who is usually so level-headed and smart could turn around and be so stupid.” Ahsoka winced as her voice got louder and more impassioned. Padmé sighed and tried not to raise her voice. “I understand you’ve been through an ordeal, but that is no reason to lose your wits. It’s actually the perfect time to keep your wits about you, Ahsoka. You should have turned to rely on those who love and support you, not step out without a word. That's not what friends do. That's not what _family_ does. It didn't matter what you were going to do so long as you didn't turn your back on us. Ahsoka, I’m very disappointed in your behavior today.”

“Now senator,” drawled a warm familiar crisp Coruscanti accent, “that’s a bit below the belt.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to post this chapter until tomorrow, but y'all have to be all "so good" and "what a story," and because flattery will get you everywhere in life, here you got. That being said, the chapters after this are causing me a few problems. I have a good idea of where Ahsoka's narrative goes and keeps going from there, but I'm not too keen on having a ton of chapters from her POV (if that makes sense). I have a few ideas to counteract this, but as I'm writing this and figuring out where to go with different sub-plots. I may even turn this into a series, but I want to avoid that as much as possible without sacrificing the quality of the story. I didn't mean for this to be an AU Fit It, but when life (George Lucas) gives you lemons (Order 66 which is just not what these boys and girls deserve), you make lemonade (fanfic about how that doesn't happen). Anyway, I will try to keep updating but might have to ramp down chapter production for a bit from daily to once every other day.


	16. Obi-wan's Little Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan walked into the room Padmé and Ahsoka had been talking in and sat down on the bed.

Obi-wan walked into the room Padmé and Ahsoka had been talking in (well the former scolded while the latter received her verbal lashings) and sat down on the bed. He patted to the side of himself, indicating he wanted Ahsoka to sit by him, and she relented if only a bit hesitantly. Obi-wan bit back a sigh. It was clear to him that she thought everyone was angry with her which worried him. His grandpadawan, for all her many feats and accomplishments, still required validation and praise while censor and reprimand deeply hurt her. It was, in his expert opinion, why Ahsoka ran off without telling anyone.

“Ahsoka, you had us all very worried,” he started. “We didn’t know where you were or if you were safe. If I had known you were just going to wander through Coruscant on a whim, I would’ve just taken you to Dex’s for some of those blue milkshakes and nerf burgers you love so much so we could talk or at least have Boil trail you. Instead, I was waiting in my chambers in the Temple, thinking my padawan and grandpadawan were going to walk in any moment to have a nice reasonable conversation about your next moves. What were you thinking?” His tone was soft and kind, but had an unmistakable quality of pain and worry to it though he tried his hardest to hide it. Ahsoka winced. “I’m not angry, Ahsoka. I just want to understand make sure you don’t make another decision like this.”

“I just- I just felt so alone and hurt, and when the Council offered that knighthood, I felt so cheap, like they were buying my forgiveness. I just had to leave,” supplied Ahsoka lamely. “I didn’t mean to worry anyone, honestly. I wasn’t thinking, and I hurt you and so many others, and I’m sorry.” She looked down at her hands, but Obi-wan reached an arm around her to her shoulder and pulled her into himself.

“I’m sorry too,” he said. “We should have made it clearer that you didn’t have to go alone. I should have followed Anakin when he went after you. I should have fought the Council harder. I should have kicked that good for nothing Tarkin into the lava when I had the chance during the mission to the Citadel. I should have done so many things differently, and I would have if given half a chance. But I can’t change the past, and neither can you. All we can do is hopefully forgive each other and move forward.” His words moved the young girl to light tears, but when she moved to wipe them away, he was already there. “Now don’t cry Ahsoka. I know it’s hard, but together, I’m confident we can-”

“AHSOKA!!!” screamed Anakin as he tackled the two then on the bed. “Ahsoka, where have you been? I’m so happy to see you. Are you hurt? It’s so great to have you back home with us. Do you know how worried we were about you? Say you’ll never leave again.”

“For blast's sake Anakin, I commed you _two minutes ago_. How are you already here?” demanded Obi-wan, mildly irritated at his padawan’s lack of safety. His boy would be the death of him one day with his stunts.

“No traffic, Ahsoka’s home miracle,” said Anakin as he snuggled into his little Jedi family as Padmé tried not to laugh. Obi-wan vaguely wondered if his little family had any sense of decorum, finding he didn’t particularly care at that time.

“Mistress, the guests are assembled in the roo- Oh my,” said C-3PO as he came in. Padmé really did laugh that time while both Anakin and Obi-wan reached for her and pulled her onto the pile, squeals of laughter could be heard from all. Obi-wan wanted to stay there forever, but knowing Commander Wolffe and Aayla, they were two seconds from bounding after them, so he untangled himself, straightened his clothes, and asked Threepio to lead the way. The three children on the bed were still laughing when he made for the door, only following when he wasn’t in their direct line of sight. Obi-wan could only laugh at their antics. 

His little family was a tiring group on a good day, but he wouldn’t trade a single one of its members for anything, not his boy, or his daughter-in-law (Who do you think told Ahsoka about Anakin and Padme’s anniversary?), or his little grandpadawan (though, he thought ruefully, she hasn’t been all that little for awhile now). He could practically hear the attachment lecture from Qui-Go right now, but he and Master Tahl were hardly discreet, so it shouldn't matter if he was. To hell with the Council, he would be a Jedi so long as he was a general. At least the clones understood family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been so long. Online school has kicked my ass. But I've loved reading your comments.


	17. The Sith Apprentice's Jedi Lineage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Count Yan Dooku of Serenno didn’t think of himself as an overly involved grandmaster/great-grandmaster/great-great-grandmaster, but there were some things that simply couldn’t stand.

Count Yan Dooku of Serenno didn’t think of himself as an overly involved grandmaster/great-grandmaster/great-great-grandmaster, but there were some things that simply couldn’t stand. One of those things was a sith master using his great-great-grandpadawan’s best friend to try and kill her and cause his great-grandpadawan to fall. (Another was Anakin’s slight inclination towards joining the Jedi Coruscanti Underworld Police Force before the war, but that was fixed quickly enough by cutting off an arm and a leg, a dad joke he still got a guilty kick out of.) 

The only reason he had served the old fart this long was that his boy’s killer had to be brought to justice. Yes, Obi-wan had killed Darth Maul (a fact he held no small amount of pride for in the man), but the master lived and not a single one of his lineage was safe until he destroyed him. He realized there might be better ways of going about it and that he was directly responsible for the deaths of thousands if not millions. He never claimed to be a good man, and, honestly, he cared far more about his lineage and their secret significant others than the galaxy as a whole. (He had Satine’s put in a Bacta Tank under a coma so she could heal. She was currently raging against her captivity on Serenno, demanding to be taken back to Mandalore.)

He had never met Ahsoka personally, but he had heard stories and read reports about her. She was apparently a snippy little thing with fierce loyalties to the Republic, the Jedi Order, and her men, but not necessarily in that order. He tried to remember if he had ever come across her in the Temple but seeing as he left immediately to track down his padawan’s killer, probably not. The girl in the photos at least didn’t seem familiar, but she was his great-great-grandpadawan, and that afforded her some protection from him and not a small bit of affection. (If he ever got the chance, he was bringing his lineage, their partners, their men and droid, all of them, to Serenno where they would live in comfort like staying at grandmother’s house.)

So upon hearing the discovery of Barriss Offee’s part in the bombing of the Temple and her role in framing Ahsoka Tano, he knew his ‘master’ had a role in it. He also knew the poor girl was most likely half-mad from the influence of the Dark Side, but he could work with that. Ultimately, he decided to send a droid with a message. The message was simple:

> The bombing wasn’t your fault. There is a Sith in the Senate. He is trying to destroy the Jedi. When the time comes, come with me if you want to save them and atone for your sins.

Not one of his best or most eloquent, but he had to act soon. He also had to make it look like he had nothing to do with it, and somewhere, along the way, he had to get rid of Grievous. He was just getting out of control with all of his hatred and his obsession with his grandpadawan. Either way, he had to finish this before all he cared about was destroyed like on Naboo. To this day, he still hated the damned planet.


	18. The Town Hall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The town hall was held in Padmé banquet hall that she only used a few times a year for special events or purposes.

The town hall was held in Padmé banquet hall that she only used a few times a year for special events or purposes. Ahsoka was given the ‘seat of honor’ (though it was more like the seat of horror at the moment), and a comm system was set up rather quickly on the table in front of her. People were seated around the table, looking directly at her with various different facial expressions. Anakin, Obi-wan, and Padmé were standing beside and behind her (the first two for support and Padmé to play referee). Looking around, Ahsoka tried to find Rex who stood against the wall with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression. She tried to convince herself that his expression wasn’t a bad thing.

“I hereby call this town hall to order. Every person will have one minute to ask a question if they so choose, and Ahsoka _will_ answer it. To indicate you wish to ask a question, you will raise your hand and wait to be called on. We will alternate between those here and those at the 501st barracks. Any unrelated or off-topic questions will be ignored immediately. Any questions asked outside the queue will be treated similarly. Are there any questions before we start?” said Padmé. Giving a brief pause to see if there were any questions, Padmé then opened the queue for questioning. Numerous hands shot up.

“The floor recognizes Commander Wolffe of the 104th Battalion,” Padmé intoned. Wolffe gave a curt nod to the senator before turning his attention on Ahsoka. She tried hard not to squirm in her seat.

“JC-0001,” he started. Many clones winced while the nats looked between each other trying to discern what ‘JC-0001’ meant. “What were you thinking? Don’t you know that _vode_ don’t go alone, _ever_?”

“I- I’m never going to have a sufficient excuse for running off,” Ahsoka started, trying very hard to look people in the eye if only to make sure not to look down. Ahsoka heard someone loudly mumble “that’s for damn sure” followed directly by Padmé clearing her throat very loudly. “But I just felt so very alone and written off. I know now that I should have relied more on my relationships for outside the Order, and that I should have given you all a proper goodbye, but, at the time, all I could think about was the Council’s decision. I can’t tell you how it hurt to be so completely dismissed by the people who I trusted in and idealized more than anything. Imagine if the GAR left you to fend for yourself against a whole birade of droids, just leaving you behind. I know that happens, but it’s not supposed to happen to Jedi, not in the Temple, not here on Coruscant. I should’ve, by all means, been protected as fiercely as anything, but when I needed them most, they threw me out to the mercy of Tarkin. I just- I didn’t know what to think anymore or even who I was. It was all so confusing. That doesn’t excuse what I did, but I hope it makes it more clear.”

“501st barracks, present your first question for the floor,” called Padmé.

“Uh, yes, this is CC-1119, Sergeant Appo of the 501st,” replied the clone. “Does- Does this mean, I mean, is there anyway- Are you still our commander?” Ahsoka winced.

“I don’t think-” Ahsoka started before she was cut off by Obi-wan.

“I’m currently looking into ways that Jedi who leave the Order during the war may retain their military status going forward. As there is not enough Jedi to go around, I highly doubt there will be major impediment to Ahsoka remaining with the 501st should she choose, but we shall have to see,” said Obi-wan said without pausing. Ahsoka bookmarked his response for later reflection; it seemed a bit close in the timeline for him to be looking into such things, but maybe that was just her. “Pardon me Senator Amidala, but I thought it might be helpful to the conversation.”

“The floor concedes this point but asks that all further additions be kept minimal and always after Ahsoka speaks,” reasoned Padmé. “The floor now calls on Senator Riyo Chuchi from Pantora.”

“Thank you Senator,” said Riyo with a polite nod. Turning to Ahsoka, anyone could see Riyo meant business, and Ahsoka wasn’t sure what to expect. “Ahsoka, now that you’ve left the Order behind, where will you go? What will you do? It’s not as if the Order is particularly good at preparing its members for outside life.”

“Well, Senator Amidala has made it very clear I will be more than welcome in her home here on Coruscant while I am determining my next steps,” replied Ahsoka, though she very clearly downplayed major aspects of Padmé’s ‘welcome.’ 

“The floor adds that conditions of Ahsoka’s stay have already been established and will be made available to all who wish to keep updated with Ahsoka’s situation as well as any updates on occupations, decisions, and the like. 501st barracks, present your second question for the floor,” said Padmé.

“This is Boil,” the clone simply, not one for all this protocol. Ahsoka could almost feel the amused eye roll Obi-wan no doubt reacted with. “I just want to know how General Unduli found you single-handedly while the 212th, the 501st, the 104th, the 327th, and the Coruscant Guard couldn’t.” At this, many clones made noises of agreement.

“Order! We will have order in this hall,” called Padmé. Once things had settled down, Padmé looked to Master Unduli. “The floor turns the question over to Jedi Master Luminara Unduli for the answer.”

“Thank you Senator, I was just about to suggest such a thing,” said Luminara, standing up to better address the room. “As we well know, it was Ba- my former apprentice’s … it was because of my former apprentice that Ahsoka was in the position she faced recently in the Republic courts and before the Jedi Council. As such I felt a certain amount of responsibility towards the situation heightened by my own affection towards her as a dedicated and faithful friend to my former apprentice. I then came to the conclusion that I had to talk Ahsoka into coming back if for no other reason than she needed to feel that she wasn’t as alone as she felt. I had already failed one padawan, I couldn’t stand idly as another walked away from all she knew. So, I simply asked the astromech, R2-D2, who has strong attachments to his ‘organic units’ as he calls them. In return for bringing her back, he gave me her location though I do not know how he knew.”

“The floor thanks Master Unduli and then recognizes Jedi Master Shaak TI.” Ahsoka turned to Shaak Ti and almost sunk in her chair under the “I’m-very-disappointed-in-you” stare she usually reserved for misbehaving younglings when she visited the creches.

“Thank you senator,” said the Jedi master, placing her arms on the table with her hands clasped in front of himself. “Ahsoka, what you did was reckless and dangerous. There’s no denying that. I just want to know where you ended up going and if anything happened that we should know about.”

“Well … I- uh… I- I met up with Ventress, _completely by accident_ , and she sort of offered me her couch for awhile, and that’s where Master Luminara found me,” said Ahsoka, already deciding that she was going to nix the entire business with the gang of men. There were many shouts of outrage and confusion at the mention of Ventress, before Shaak raised her hand to silence the clones (the rest were silenced with the power of Padmé’s glare).

“Is that all?” asked Shaak.

“Yes!” Ahsoka responded too quickly, and internally winced at the master’s raised eye markings. Master Shaak Ti was always a bit harder to trick when it came to encountering trouble. “I mean, there was an incident, almost not worth mentioning, in which I had _everything under control,_ where a guy tried to herd me into an alley where a few of his buddies were waiting. No big deal.” The whole hall erupted into mass chaos as different people tried to get more detail about the men and whether or not she had been hurt.

“Order! Order! SILENCE!” screamed Padmé, and the hall immediately quieted down. “This is the last time I will reiterate that we will proceed with decorum, is that understood?” With shame-faced replies, Padmé continued. “Is there anything else?"

Commander Fox stood up. "Senator, if you could bring Ahsoka in within the next day or two, she could give us a description and The Coruscant Guard would be more than happy to deal with this matter. I would also like to take the time to apologize for my part in Commander Tano's arrest. I was simply doing my job the best way I knew how. You may retrieve your lightsabers at any point. That's all I wanted to say." He then quickly sat back down. 

"Thank you, Commander Fox. The 501st barracks will present for the floor its next question."

“Tano, this is Sinker, I’m glad you’re alright, but you are in for a world of hurt on the training mat next time you’re around. My question is for Skywalker though. Why did your astromech know where your padawan was?” asked the clone with a very gruff manner one could only get from spending a significant amount of time serving under Commander Wolffe.

“I’m not sure, but I-” Anakin was cut off by C-3PO and R2-D2 using that moment to come in with a birthday cake big enough for all present and then some, singing ‘For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow.’ At that point, everyone simultaneously, Ahsoka included, realized they forgot her eighteenth birthday.

The first to recover was, of course, ARC Trooper Fives who said with a smile, “Does this mean we’re taking her to 79’s tonight?”


	19. Sidious and His Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palpatine was pissed.

Palpatine was _pissed_. All his well-laid plans and schemes going back two decades were ruined, _overthrown_ , _**utterly destroyed**_. Why? Because that ungrateful child decided ‘ _to start trying to repair the relationship I have with my master before it’s too late_.’ Palpatine could’ve choked him right then and there. 

Why was this so hard? It wasn’t hard to kidnap his mother and blame it on the Tuskens. (Little known fact: They don’t attack unprovoked, they stay to their land, and if they find an injured life form on their land, they try to save or at least make the poor thing comfortable.) It wasn’t hard to suggest darkness over the Force. It wasn’t hard to manipulate the Republic, the Jedi, and the Separatists. Even Dooku didn’t know who he was! So why was this one man, _this one Jedi_ , who he had taken pains to strain his relationship with Anakin as much as possible, why was _he_ of all people causing all these problems? 

_Amidala_ he could understand! She was pretty enough though extremely troublesome with her politics, but if Anakin had shown a bit less interest, she would be warming his bed instead. Regardless, he already had a plan to get rid of her when it came time to.

The worse part of this whole thing? It wasn’t even possible to just kill off the man! That might cause Anakin to go on a desperate mission to find his killer! Or maybe cause him to hold the man in even higher esteem! No, he had to assassinate his character without seeming to want to (and he _really **wanted to**_ ). But how? 

Perhaps he could make the Council send Obi-wan on a series of extremely secret missions. Anakin hated secrets (especially for a man with so many) and would refuse to understand the need for discretion. Maybe a ‘secret’ from Obi-wan’s past could surface, destroying that pedestal Anakin was keen to place him on. Not only would the ‘secret’ disgust Anakin, but it would have him running back to him for comfort.

He would have to wait before acting, but he was good at waiting. He had other things to see to anyway. Besides, it would be better to let the Dark Side cloud Anakin a bit more before taking action against Obi-wan.

Suddenly, Palpatine smiled. Perhaps Barriss Offee could be of use of him yet. Not bothering with any security precautions in his haste, he quickly donned his Sith robe and called upon his apprentice.

Dooku answered promptly, “My Lord, what would you have me do?”

“There has been an attack on the Jedi Temple by the Fallen padawan Barriss Offee. She now stays in a Republic prison cell, awaiting execution. I want you to release her and bring her to our side,” Palpatine answered.

“My Lord,” replied Dooku, surprise colored his countenance as he continued with caution. “What do you intend for her?”

“Never you mind! Just get her!” snapped and commanded Palpatine. 

“Yes Master,” intoned Dooku, bowing his head as a sign of humility.

Ending the call, Palpatine smiled and returned his robe to its hiding place, not realizing that the Clone Commander Thire was quickly sending a comm to his superior, still at Amidala’s for Ahsoka’s town hall, to return for a bantha debate (a secret Coruscant Guard code word meaning high up corruption with immediate danger posed towards the Republic).


	20. In Which Ahsoka is NOT a Youngling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seeing Rex leave before she got the chance to talk to him, Ahsoka made to go after him, but a strict hand on her arm stopped her.

The clones had wanted to take her out for her (missed) birthday. They had made argument after argument in favor of taking her to 79’s especially (courtesy of Fives and the digital agreement the 501st had Anakin sign), but places like Dex’s Diner, the Galaxies Opera House (though how they were supposed to get enough tickets so soon was a mystery), the Outlander Club, a few other cites in the Uscru District, and even the barracks were also suggested (it was free and they could’ve watched some holomovies and play card games), but Padmé shut it all down, stating Ahsoka had been through enough excitement for one day and would be in contact about such plans soon enough. Though many were left grumbling, everyone was eventually in agreement, and people were coming up to Padmé and Ahsoka, saying goodbye and welcome back before taking their leaves.

Seeing Rex leave before she got the chance to talk to him, Ahsoka made to go after him, but a strict hand on her arm stopped her.

“And pray tell, where do you think you are going? I think we’ve all had enough excitement for one day, thank you very much,” said Padmé, pulling her back. Her tone and facial expression brokered for no arguments.

“But I have to talk to Rex,” pleaded Ahsoka, pulling on her arm. Padmé, unimpressed by Ahsoka’s pleas, held fast to her and refused to let go.

“Then you can talk to him tomorrow, right now, we have people to see off, and then dinner is ready on the table. Don’t think I didn’t notice how you didn’t eat earlier.” She then turned and smiled at Bail as he left. He had made a point to say goodbye (and to remind Padmé of the tarts in her kitchen, hoping they might cheer up the still clearly despondent Ahsoka) earlier and had just finished up other farewells.

“Please Padmé! I promise it’s really important,” Ahsoka pled and pulled again, but Padmé would not budge, and Ahsoka had to wonder what the woman did that made her so strong. Dimly, she looked up and realized she wasn't going to get to speak to Rex tonight as he had already left with the rest of the 501st.

“Tomorrow,” she insisted with a stern look. “Anakin will comm him to tell him we expect him first thing after breakfast, isn’t that right Anakin?”

“Of course,” he said as he knew he was still in the doghouse on the 79’s Agreement as it was dubbed. He could already hear Padmé lecture on how inappropriate it would be for an eighteen-year-old girl to be out at a bar (he could but probably not argue that Ahsoka was arguably older in experience due to her part in the war) and how they were such in the situation because of his slackness. (In his defense, he had been in bars when he was just a slave as Gardulla had regularly rented his mother and himself out to taverns and the like when they were considered her property. He honestly only realized the big deal about young people in bars when Obi-wan had ripped into him at sixteen for going with some slightly older people they had met on a mission. He thought eighteen was a perfectly acceptable age, especially for how mature Ahsoka usually was.)

“Come on, Padmé. If I can’t talk to him tonight, can I at _least_ go to see him at the barracks tomorrow?” Ahsoka didn’t want an audience for her conversation with Rex, and so begged accordingly. Slowing down slightly to mull it over, Padmé looked to her secret-not-so-secret husband.

“Can you take her? I have a meeting with some senators tomorrow about writing a bill to give the clones citizenship,” said Padmé, sounding more and more like a working mother. Ahsoka held back a sigh at being treated like a child.

“I have an appointment with Commander Fox. He wants to discuss some security issues he has concerning the Chancellor,” Anakin replied. He was honestly a bit annoyed at the commander’s insistence he comes the next day. Something about compiling security footage and logs and other such things for the Jedi to present to the Council.

“I’m not a child! Why can't just go alone?” Ahsoka pointed out as she was at her limit. She understood why they were hovering like she was a youngling needing to be watched constantly (though even as a youngling, she had more freedom), but she was already over it. She had learned her lesson. She wouldn’t go anywhere, but any protests fell on deaf ears.

"Because the last time you went somewhere alone, you had no intention of coming back or letting anyone know you were okay," replied Padmé matter-of-factly. Ahsoka winced. In hindsight, she could admit it was a stupid move, and she could even see where Padmé was coming from. Today's actions didn't exactly scream 'I'm an adult.' Still, Ahsoka's new living arrangement chafed a bit. 

“I can take her. I have some business with Cody anyway,” piped up Obi-wan. He had not left simply because he didn’t feel the need. Just as Anakin and Ahsoka were always welcomed here, Obi-wan had similarly always felt invited.

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow morning after breakfast, Obi-wan will pick you up and take you to the barracks. Now, it’s time for dinner,” proclaimed Padmé, leading the group to the breakfast alcove in the kitchen. On the table, some of Ahsoka’s favorite dishes were placed from shredded nerf with plenty of peppers and hot spices to Christophosis root crisps to Naboobian pomegranate seeds with honey to the tarts Senator Organa had left behind. “Eat up! I had the kitchen make your favorites.” Ahsoka looked to Padmé, who just smiled and said, “Welcome home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm awful.


	21. Obi-wan's Secrets and Anakin's Shock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin had forgotten how nice family dinners could be.

Anakin had forgotten how nice family dinners could be. With Ahsoka, Padmé, and Obi-wan around the table, passing the dishes around so that everyone could have some (though Padmé was adamant that the tarts were solely for Ahsoka after dinner), Anakin wondered if this was what it was like to be normal.

“Ahsoka,” began Padmé, “I know you are still settling in after your ordeal, but I think you should start thinking about what you want to do with your life. You’re more than welcome to stay for as long as you need, of course, but I doubt you would want to be a homebody.” Anakin watched as Ahsoka nibbled on her bottom lip, a sure sign she was unsure.

“Hey Snips,” said Anakin. “Don’t worry! You’ll have us by your side, and you’re still young. Why don’t you look into developing some interests and see what you’re good at before committing to a career?” He nudged her with his elbow in a brotherly manner and was rewarded with a smile for his trouble.

“Anakin is right Ahsoka,” said Obi-wan. “For someone like you who has so much real-life experience and has mastered so many skills at such a young age, I’m sure you could do anything you would like. For example, you are a quite capable pilot and mechanic, a fierce fighter, a very quick learner. You could, with these skills, go into security, become a professional mechanic, or go to school with people your own age outside the Temple just to name a few. Furthermore, I’d be willing to bet that no one within the GAR bothered to rescind your commander’s status yet, so if we made a very good argument with the Chancellor, you could be allowed to continue with the 501st.” Anakin was starting to see all the little things Obi-wan did as symptoms of a much bigger thing, and the fact he took the time to think through some preliminary options for Ahsoka to think through (and to put the 501st on the list as well) made Anakin feel even more guilty about how he treated him all those years ago. “But as the Senator said, no need to decide now. Take your time. Think it through. Explore new options. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find something to do that fits you better than anything I just said.”

Ahsoka nodded her head slowly, clearly taking in the information given to her at the present. She had some big decisions to make, and Anakin did _not_ envy her that. He did wonder what it would be like to leave the Order and how Obi-wan would take it, but he stopped that train of thought before it could really leave the station. Obi-wan was a father figure to him, there when no one else was, and he had _just_ vowed to mend the cracks in their relationship. The last thing he needed to do was walk away from him and leave him the whims of the Council he had defended both Ahsoka and himself to.

Dinner conversation moved to lighter subjects (though Ahsoka did seem a bit quieter and contemplative that usual), and, before long, the food was gone. Padmé had tried to convince them to stay, citing how late it was, but ultimately it was decided that they would spend the night at the Temple and be back for breakfast. (Anakin loved spending the night with Padmé, but he could sense her guilt from coming down on Ahsoka, and he wanted to avoid the _you-agreed-to-let-an-eighteen-year-old-go-to-a-bar_ argument.) Anakin went to drive the speeder, but Obi-wan quickly steered him to the passenger side, insisting he would drive. Usually, Anakin would grumble and complain about not being trusted, but seeing as he probably almost given Obi-wan several heart attacks with his flying today alone, he was willing to concede that fight. Plus, he was kind of tired from eating all that food.

On the way back, they sat mostly in comfortable silence, not really talking though Anakin was getting ready to change that.

“Thank you,” Anakin said, looking at Obi-wan with some trepidation. He didn’t really know how his old master would take to Anakin’s new efforts. The man still had some affection for his past student, that much was clear, but whether or not he would think Anakin was sincere was another matter.

“‘Thank you?’ For what?” laughed Obi-wan. He hadn’t really looked away from the lane he was in. It was just late enough that both the industrial workers were going home from the evening shift while the party crowd hit the streets, so the traffic had picked up significantly. Anakin wouldn’t have been bothered, but Obi-wan was much more cautious.

“For helping bring Ahsoka home, for opening my eyes to what the Chancellor was doing, for standing up to the Council for me, for taking me on as a padawan. You know, everything.” Anakin looked down and resisted the urge to fidget like he did when he was a padawan. He felt the speeder take a turn and pull over on a side street.

“Anakin, look at me,” said Obi-wan sternly. Anakin looked up and saw Obi-wan looking a bit sad. “I know things have not always been good between us, especially recently, but never doubt that I care for you and the people you care for and could never knowingly stand by and watch you get hurt.” Obi-wan let out a sigh. “I know I haven’t always been the best master- Anakin let me finish,” said Obi-wan when he saw Anakin about object. “I haven’t always been the best master and teacher for you. I should have demanded a mediation retreat and taken you to Tatooine to get your mother, but I had thought she would’ve been okay with the Lars, after all-”

“You knew about the Lars?” Anakin asked, shocked. Honestly, though he had told Obi-wan the very basics of what happened on Tatooine, he kept out all mentions of his step-family (as well as one Tusken village), so for Obi-wan to mention them as he did… What else did he know? A flash of fear took hold of him before he felt very childish. This was Obi-wan, he didn’t beat around the bush (well, not when it came to the important things). If he knew what Anakin did (or about any other secret of his), he obviously wasn’t bothered by it.

Obi-wan sighed. “Anakin, do you remember when you were about eleven? And I said I had a very important mission to attend to?” Anakin did remember. It was just around the time the Chancellor started to show more interest in him and his relationship with Obi-wan started to become rocky. 

“Yeah, I didn’t talk to you for three weeks afterward,” replied Anakin, wincing at his past immaturity.

“That’s right! I had forgotten why you did that, though I was very impressed you kept it up that long. At that age, you seemed to always want to talk about something. You once went on and on for an hour and a half about the benefits of putting a rope on a lightsaber so it wouldn’t fall out of one’s hand,” laughed Obi-wan before growing serious again. “Anakin, that mission was less a mission from the Council and more something to give me peace of mind.”

“What do you mean? That you checked up on my mother?” asked Anakin, confused. This was hardly the news that Obi-wan was making it out to be.

“Not exactly. I knew I couldn’t leave her in a state of permanent servitude, but there was no way for her to be at the Temple with us. Eventually, I thought I would just free her and take her to Naboo. The senator was still the queen there at the time, and I was sure that I could talk her into granting citizenship to someone who had helped before. By the time I got there, I had the plan all mapped out: free your mother, take her to Naboo, surprise you with a visit to see her, but… your mother had been in a secret relationship with Cliegg Lars, and any attention to convince her to leave would have been futile. I think she also thought that if she left you wouldn’t be able to find her. So, instead, I gave Lars the money I had to free Shmi and let him do it himself.” A brief fell over the speeder as Anakin realized how much this man cared for him. Slaves, as much as Anakin hated the word, were not cheap. For Obi-wan to raise enough credits to buy even someone as old and weathered as his mother would have been at the time would have been extremely hard, especially since he appears to have done it in two years. Jedi might have been given allowances for missions, but never enough to free slaves. “Say something,” Obi-wan begged.

“How- how did you get the money?” asked Anakin.

“I worked a few odd jobs on the side when I could, picked up a few factory shifts here and there where possible. It wasn’t nearly as hard I thought it would be,” said Obi-wan though Anakin could tell he was minimizing. It couldn’t have been “a few odd jobs” or “a few factory shifts” without a significant amount of danger involved. Reaching back into his memory, Anakin did notice Obi-wan had grown thinner and more tired in those years, though he did his best to put up a brave face.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” asked Anakin. He shockingly wasn’t mad, though he probably was too shocked to be.

“Shmi insisted I shouldn’t. She wanted you to come find her when you were ready, not because you felt you had to. Anakin, believe me when I say there is not a day gone by that I hadn’t thought about telling you, but then she died, and the war started. I just … didn’t want to cause you more grief. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” The deep mournful grief on Obi-wan’s face struck something in Anakin, and, before he knew it, he was telling a secret of his own.

“I’m married to the senator,” blurted out Anakin.

“I know,” said Obi-wan with a smile.

“We did it on Naboo, after the first battle,” Anakin continued.

“I know,” repeated Obi-wan.

“We got a local priest to do it anonymously, and-”

“Anakin,” Obi-wan said loudly, placing his hand on Anakin’s shoulder and looking at him with amused exasperation, “I _know_ and have known for some time. You and the senator really ought to get better at hiding your regards for each other. And Anakin, I swear on the Force, if she gets pregnant, you are not going to play the part-time father. I won’t allow it. It wouldn’t be fair to either you or your children or your wife, so if there are children, you will leave the Order. Which brings me to something else I should tell you.” Once again serious, Obi-wan spoke the words Anakin would have _never_ thought would come out of his mouth. “Anakin, I’m thinking of leaving the Order.”


	22. The Count's Request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There were events in her life that shaped her, reflected Satine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is one paragraph in this chapter that contains descriptions of violence that some might find disturbing. It is marked with a pound sign before and after, so that one may more easily avoid it. I contemplated whether or not to keep it in the chapter, but thought it helped with Satine's character and world views so it remained.
> 
> Mando translations at the end.

There were events in her life that shaped her, reflected Satine. The civil war on Mandalore in her youth, meeting the witty and headstrong padawan who would leave Mandalore with her heart, losing her sister to those jump-start fascists, to name a few, but none had ever prepared her for confinement to a known Sith lord’s guest wing. 

She was not ill-treated. Her accommodations were better than that given to her on Coruscant as a visiting foreign ruler, and the food was fresh and tasty (once she could determine it wasn’t drugged, of course). While she was given no knowledge of the outside, every possible whim of hers was fulfilled without comment. Holonovels, scented candles and flowers, and luxury refresher products galore filled the most gilded prison cell she had ever occupied. 

No one was coming for her. It was a realization that had almost killed her, but it was true. There were enough people to witness the Darksaber run her through that no one could ever think she survived, no matter that her ‘body’ would not be found. So, she tried daily to find a way out by observing the serving droids, discretely checking for weaknesses in the doors and air vents, not so discretely attack the droids in hopes that someone would come and try to stop her (pacifist or not, she was still a Mando and Mandos could kick ass), but nothing came of it. Every time she was about to lose hope, she remembered her people and what they must be suffering under Maul, her sister and that determined little hope in her eyes when she released Satine from her prison cell that said she had missed her _ori’vod_ as much as Satine had missed her _vod’ika_ , and Obi-wan.

In the privacy of her cell and without any work to act the part of the distraction, Satine thought often of Obi-wan Kenobi and the days they spent together, hiding from the civil war. At first, she was horrified she was being handed over to the _Jetii_ for protection. (She hadn’t liked the idea of running and the thought of leaving Bo’ika behind even less, though her advisors had eventually bullied the young duchess into agreeing.) As a result, she took every excuse to insult the _Jetii_ , especially the little hot-headed padawan, though, after a while, the padawan simply smiled and said she was “too kind.” Soon the insults turned to teases and jokes, Obi-wan had even made her laugh (something only Bo’ika had accomplished before). Before long, they were having civil conversations, comparing belief systems and correcting misconceptions. By this time, his master had left them alone to try and misdirect the enemy and help end the conflict as soon as possible. Obi-wan had told her all his dreams and wishes so unguardedly like he didn’t care about her position as Mandalore’s rightful ruler but simply happy to be her friend. 

#

Then, one day, they came across a village slaughtered by her supporters, her insignia burnt into their fields and smeared on the walls of their homes in blood. He had tried to shield her from the horror (and she had desperately wanted to go back and listen to him), but she was young and stubborn and ‘ready for anything’ except for the bodies of her people laying about like a blood-thirsty and rageful beast had descended upon the village and thrown the townsfolk around like dolls, or their eyes to stare accusingly at her, or the body of a young girl on the cusp of womanhood half-burnt with an expression of eternal fear and pain. That night, she begged him to erase the scene from her mind, despite his sad insistence that the Force didn’t work that way and it wouldn’t help in any case. She cried and begged from her knees to him and the galaxy at large to take away the pain.

#

He eventually wrapped her in his arms as she sobbed, not saying anything, just holding her in quiet support until she fell asleep in his arms. The next morning, he had treated her to some _shig_ and _uj’alayi_ for breakfast that he had to brave a nearby tavern for. The occurrences of the day before were otherwise ignored, but Satine still appreciated the effort. It wasn’t long after she realized she was in love with the Jedi padawan. (She had stopped calling him _Jetii’ika_ after discovering she didn’t like the connotation applied to him.) 

Of course, the war ended soon after, and she had to contemplate whether or not to ask him to stay. There were many factors to why she didn’t ask him to stay, like what her _vod’ika_ and the rest of her people would think, his desire to become a Jedi Master and have his own little padawan, the expectations she was facing as Duchess of Mandalore, but ultimately she chose not to ask him due to her fear he didn’t reciprocate her feelings.

Then, the Clone Wars started, and he became a general. She was furious at him for sacrificing everything he believed in for that _shabuir_ and _or’dinii_ Palpatine (though she was more furious at the big _di’kut_ himself). She was so furious her heart almost didn’t skip a beat when she heard her Jedi escort was the Jedi Master Obi-wan Kenobi and his ex-padawan Anakin Skywalker. She was even proud she could start arguing with him without much hesitation after so long. The whole time, she tried to be angry and short with, but then Merrik had been revealed by Obi-wan to be a traitor, and, in a moment she thought she was going to die, she confessed to Obi-wan. When he revealed he would’ve stayed behind for her if she had asked, her heart sang, and from that moment on, he was _hers_ , if only in the deepest part of her where she kept her more messy feelings and selfish dreams.

Lost in her musings, she almost missed the signature hiss of a door opening and a pair of organic legs walking in.

“Count Dooku, to what do I owe this displeasure,” she greeted nastily without looking at the man.

“Duchess, as lovely as always, how do you fare today?” asked the count cordially. If she had been any less the proud Duchess of Mandalore, she might have demanded he cut the _osik_.

“Do cut to the chase, Count. I may not have somewhere to be or things to do at present, but that does not mean I enjoy conversing with my jailor.” Secretly, Satine was storing this interaction in her mind in hopes it might be useful in leaving one day.

“You are an intelligent woman, are you not Duchess?” Piquing her curiosity, she turned slightly to bring the man into her eye line.

“Perhaps,” she answered warily. “What of it?” 

“I only thought that you might help me with a project of mine,” the Count replied mildly which invoked her most Mandalorian instincts not brought under control with the advent of her pacifist ways: rage.

“I’ll _never_ help you! You’re a murderer and a war-monger!” she screamed. Having turned completely to rebuke him, she saw him raise his eyebrows.

“Really? Not to stop the war or stop a Sith or save Kenobi?” drawled the Count.

Satine immediately recoiled. “Obi-wan?” she murmured. Her heart wept blood at the thought he was in danger.

“Yes, he’s in a tight spot as it were. My ‘master,’” the Count rolled his eyes, “wants him dead for this or that reason. I can stop him, but only with help. Will you help me with this?”

Satine pondered for a moment what to do. She knew very well that the Count could be lying, but it could also be the only way out, and if Obi really was in danger… “I’ll do it. I’ll help you,” the Duchess relented. The Count just smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ori'vod - older sibling  
> vod'ika - young sibling  
> Jetii - a Jedi, connotation not flattering  
> shig - a Mandalorian drink served hot, kind of like tea  
> uj'alayi - a very dense, very sweet cake made from crushed nuts, dried fruit and spices, and then soaked in a sticky scented syrup called uj'jayl  
> shabuir - an extreme insult, jerk but stronger  
> or'dinii - moron or fool  
> di'kut - idiot  
> osik - shit


	23. Party Time in the Barracks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Rex got his general’s comm about Ahsoka’s visit to the barracks, he felt conflicted.

When Rex got his general’s comm about Ahsoka’s visit to the barracks, he felt conflicted. On one hand, his heart soared at the thought at seeing the Commander who had set up shop in his soul. On the other, he was acutely aware of the seemingly endless pit of anger in his stomach that threatened to either swallow him whole or burn Ahsoka. The pit of anger had been there since she walked into the senator’s apartment with Master Unduli and proceeded to act like _nothing_ was _wrong_ , like she had ever right to act the way she did, like it was completely acceptable to walk away from him and all their brothers _without a **single** goodbye_. 

Taking a deep and cleansing breath (like she had taught him to after he had made one of the shinies cry, though in his defense the battle had been one of the harder ones and he still had no clue as to where their general had gone), Rex tried to reason his anger away, but that only made the pit angrier and more toxic. Ultimately, Rex pushed the pit down and decided to look around at the madness that the barracks had become. 

In the mess, many different banners reading along the lines of “Welcome Back Ahsoka” and “Happy Belated Birthday _Dalyc Vod’ika_ ” were hung by different battalions, companies, and squads. (Nat birthdays were celebrated by the 501st regardless of how their commander and general felt, seeing how the clones didn’t have birthdays but birthnumbers which the _Kaminii_ used as names.) The 501st shared the mess with several different battalions and legions and other groups of clones while on leave so while many of the banners were painted with 501st blue, there was also 212th orange, Wolfpack grey, 327th yellow, and even some Coruscant Guard red. (There was a rumor going around about Commander Fox’s feelings for the 501st’s little sister, and Rex just hoped the _di’kut_ had the intelligence to not approach him about it. After all, Fox was the one to peel him off of Bly when he said that Secura was planning on taking Ahsoka should Skywalker not have made it.) 

In the actual barracks, Fives was making sure everything was set up for the “greatest board game and junk food binge-fest that Coruscant ever saw” (Fives’ words, not Rex’s) while Jesse was giving the shinies the usual talk about Ahsoka being in the barracks, namely no nudity, no edging her on, no making the general ban Ahsoka from the barracks (the subtext of “or the rest of the battalion will hate you until you get reassigned” went unsaid). Brii, of course, was in the corner by his bunk. (Fives and Tup had fought so that Brii could get extra space for his art projects. In other barracks, the corner bunk was given to the oldest brother not given an officer’s room.) The little brother was happily painting a picture of, from what Rex could gather based on the colors, Ahsoka with her lightsabers. Troopers not busy getting set up were busy spreading the word that the Commander was coming to visit her men and that any and all clones not on duty were welcome to their celebration.

Rex internally sighed, feeling determinedly tired and resigned. He already had a plan in which he would claim too much work. Ahsoka would usually try to come and help, but seeing as this was both a homecoming and a birthday celebration, Rex was willing to bet Fives and the rest of the boys wouldn’t let her. Fives looked up and saw the capital just as he was leaving.

“Rex!” called the ARC trooper, as he ran after his big brother. “What do you think? Pretty good set up, right? Apparently, General Secura and General Koon will also be joining and they’re bringing cake! Probably won’t be enough to go around, but I got one of the slicers who owed me a favor reprogram the kitchen droids to make that pizza stuff Ahsoka told us about and some extra cake!” The ARC trooper nearly bounced with excitement as he told his commanding officer of his (illegal) preparation for the event’s activities

“That’s great Fives,” said Rex. “Tell me how it goes.” Rex turned to walk away to his office again before his little brother grabbed his arm.

“What do you mean?” asked Fives. Confusion and sadness backlit his eyes, and Rex felt a bit bad for skipping the celebration Fives had put so much work into, but it had to be done.

“I have some requisition forms to be filled out before we ship out next, and to do that, I need to go over the damage reports and inventory data to figure out what we’re missing. It needs to be done as soon as possible, so I’m going to have to skip the party.” Rex had exaggerated the urgency a bit, especially since req forms couldn’t even be sent in until five days before shipping out for a battalion that size, which Rex still didn’t know when that was going to be as they were still only a week into leave.

“Come on Rex! Surely that stuff can wait. We _just_ got Ahsoka back! Time to party!” exclaimed Fives. Rex wanted to pull his hair out. It wasn’t Fives’ fault entirely. Rex was just at his limit with all his emotions.

“I know _vod_ , but I just have too much to do,” responded Rex. He tried not to squirm as Fives fixed him with a particularly searching stare. 

Fives suddenly moved closer to Rex, and Rex almost stepped back when Fives whispered, “Does it have anything to do with that time I found you drunk in your office?”

Rex immediately restored the distance between the two of them and said with a stern tone, “No, it does not. I simply have work I have to get done.” Taking another look around, he continued, “The setup looks great, and just reprogram the kitchen droids before breakfast tomorrow and I’ll pretend I didn’t know anything about it.” With that, Rex spun around like a true soldier and stalked back to his office where he knew no one was going to bother him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> daylc vod'ika - female little sibling or little sister  
> Kaminii - Kaminoan


	24. Ahsoka, Padmé, and the Wardrobe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padmé had been up all night.

Padmé had been up all night. When Ahsoka had first come home (and Padmé was extremely happy to have her living in the apartment), Padmé had freaked out and laid down a lot of rules that she, in hindsight, had winced at. She had tried to rationalize it to herself with a bunch of caveats: Ahsoka was still in many ways a naive young woman who didn’t really stand a chance on her own, she had been worried sick, so many people’s lives were put on hold to find her and to make sure she was okay, etc. 

Finally, she remembered the way her mother had acted after the Invasion of Naboo by the Trade Federation. It was exactly like how she acted towards Ahsoka which, instead of making her feel better, made her feel worse. She didn’t want to be a mother to Ahsoka (especially the kind of mother her own had become when it took five years for their relationship to begin to mend). She wanted to be a friend, the kind she turned to in her hour of need. Moreover, Ahsoka (for all the trouble she had managed to stir up for herself lately) was a very capable eighteen-year-old woman who had successfully led men into war. (The same could technically be said of her fourteen-year-old self, but Padmé was in no mood to be rationalized against.)

So, Padmé sat at the breakfast table, waiting for Ahsoka to come out of her room, hoping she would come out soon. (It was nearly time for her to leave for her meeting with Senator Organa and the rest of the coalition for the civil advancement of the clones if she didn’t want to be late, and Obi-wan was set to be here any moment.) Sighing to herself, she crept slowly to Ahsoka’s room, feeling a bit silly for slinking around her own home like an intruder but also unwilling to make Ahsoka feel like she was in a dictatorship anymore than she had already. Coming closer to Ahsoka’s room, Padmé heard various sounds of annoyance and the very familiar sound of clothes being rearranged.

Hesitantly, Padmé knocked on the door and called out, “Ahsoka? Do you need help? Breakfast is on the table, and Obi-wan will be here soon.” Padmé winced at how much she sounded like her own mother. She might as well asked the girl when she was finally to give her grandchildren like Sola. The door swung open, and Ahsoka reached out and pulled the senator into the room. Looking around, the clothes that had been carefully put away yesterday were tossed all over the room haphazardly.

“How do you do this everyday?!” demanded Ahsoka. “I have _no_ idea what goes with what and what is _‘seasonally appropriate’_ whatever that is and how does one determine the Force-be-damned _**occasion**_?!” After Ahsoka’s little tirade against fashion, which was punctuated with little tossings of fabric this and that way, Padmé noticed the tears which welled up in the young girls eyes out of frustration.

“Ahsoka? Is this really about the clothes?” Padmé asked carefully while also picking up some of the clothes off the floor so that they could be hung up later. “It’s fine if it is. Picking an outfit can be rather difficult at times for those with expansive closets, but I can only fix a problem if I know that’s the problem I need to fix."

Ahsoka let out a sad sigh. “No, it’s not. Well, not entirely. I’m going to see Rex today, and, from what I saw yesterday, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hates me now. I just don’t know what I should do to make it up.” Ahsoka then slumped in her chair at her desk, looking resigned at her closet.

“Ahsoka,” said Padmé as she crossed the room (careful not to step on any clothes) and crouched in front of the poor girl, “Captain Rex does _not_ hate you and _could never_ hate you. If he is upset, that is one thing, but he will come to forgive you, I’m sure. As to what to do, you should go and apologize if he is angry with you and explain yourself as best you can if he’ll listen.”

“And if he won’t?” Ahsoka asked dejectedly. She really did make a bit of a pitiful picture in Padmé’s mind. She, after all, knew what it was like to feel absolutely hopeless in love and being able to do absolutely nothing about it.

“Then, you’re a bit out of luck, I’m afraid, but, from what I’ve heard and seen of Captain Rex, he’s not the type to just ignore or write off an explanation.” Padmé gave Ahsoka a rueful smile which she tried to return but only managed to move her frown up into a straight line. 

“Thanks Padmé,” conceded Ahsoka. Padmé could tell she didn’t feel any better, but nothing she could say would help though she did make a mental note to let Fives and the rest of 501st take Ahsoka out to 79’s soon (on the condition she didn’t drink, of course, she may be able to vote on most planets but that did _not_ mean she was developmentally ready for alcohol) to cheer her up if the meeting with Rex went south today.

“Of course. Now,” Padmé said standing up, “I recall your plea for help in the wardrobe department. I may not have the fashionista instincts of my handmaidens, but I can still help you pick out an outfit for a simple outing to the barracks if you like?”

“That would be helpful,” Ahsoka said, standing up to put the room back to semi-rights as Padmé started going through the rest of the closet eliminating certain dresses and ensembles outright for being the wrong season or occasion, making mental notes to get rid of certain pieces as they were not really fit for Ahsoka in hindsight. (Padmé couldn’t really defend one black dress that was quite dramatic in its use of sequins, cutouts, feathers, long loose sleeves, and a particularly high collar other than to say the salesperson had said it was all the rage with teenage girls on Alderaan.) After some back and forth between the two women, Padmé asking questions about how Ahsoka wanted to present herself and what kind of mood she was insofar as it pertained to dress or skirt or pants while Ahsoka answered as best she could (though her experience at the Temple had always been ‘wear what fits and is comfortable and only that’). 

Finally, Padmé and Ahsoka came up with an outfit which both women were proud of (and Ahsoka even looked happy to wear which Padmé took as a victory). It was an age-appropriate dress that cut a very flattering shape. (Padmé secretly thought that the captain would not be mad for long if he saw Ahsoka in the dress and if her suspicions about his feelings were correct.) The dress was actually two: a 501st blue inner dress and a black and white outer dress. The inner dress, made of thin and clingy yet warm fabric, had a sweetheart neckline and was held up over her chest with elastic Padmé had made sure wouldn’t hurt. The inner dress also flared out slightly where it met the outer dress to give more legroom for movement. The outer dress acted as a long coat with its quarter sleeves and mid-thigh length. With a v-neckline that exposed her shoulders but not the inner dress beneath, the white half was pulled over Ahsoka’s torso and secured to the underside of the black half while the corner of the black half was discreetly secured to the white half at Ahsoka’s waist. After matching it with some plain but high-quality ankle boots and being convinced of a thick yet comfortable choker with a silver ring in the center, the whole look came out to be dressy but casual enough and warm enough for hanging around Coruscant or the barracks as it were.

Soon, Obi-wan came and picked Ahsoka up, so Padmé gave her some breakfast to go and some gum for afterward (no need for breakfast breath when having an intimate and important conversation). Waving the two goodbye, Padmé promised herself she would have a conversation with Ahsoka about the house rules as soon as she came home tonight. Getting ready to leave the apartment herself, she vaguely realized that she forgot to give Ahsoka a cover-up should she get hot and take off the outer dress. Shrugging it off, she reasoned that one of the clones would give her a blanket or sheet as a makeshift cover-up if there was even a need.


	25. To the Barracks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka was nervous on the way to the barracks.

Ahsoka was nervous on the way to the barracks as her grandmaster weaved calmly through Coruscant traffic. Trying very hard to center herself in the Force to calm herself, Ahsoka took several deep breaths in hopes of soothing her well-worn nerves. 

“Nervous?” asked Obi-wan unnecessarily. They were both well aware of how Ahsoka was practically bleeding anxiety into the Force.

“Who me? Of course not,” Ahsoka answered snippily. Obi-wan smiled at her wit, and Ahsoka smiled back. While Anakin was quite straightforward when it came to speaking (teasing aside), Ahsoka and Obi-wan had long enjoyed the exchanging of quips and wordplay. It was one of the things that made Ahsoka feel so at home in the field, especially when Anakin would look between the two of them in exasperation.

“Of course not,” said Obi-wan smartly. “Of course, there would be nothing wrong with being nervous about seeing the captain after your non-conversation and his behavior towards you being what one could generously call chilly yesterday. Theoretically speaking. Also theoretically speaking, you could always talk to me.” Ahsoka took a look at her grandmaster out of the corner of her eye. He still had his eyes on the road, but Ahsoka could tell his attention was on her.

“Thank you, Master. That means more than you realize.” Ahsoka felt a bit better after the short conversation and started to eat the breakfast Padmé pushed into her hands as she left today. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a protein bar meant to mimic raw meat. (Padmé had started to keep them on hand when Ahsoka had neglected to tell anyone of her dietary needs as a Togruta and fainted as a result. Needless to say, Anakin hadn’t been impressed, and Kix had threatened to inject a monitoring chip so that it never happened again. Rex, being always on her side, talked everyone down, citing too much excitement might cause another fainting spell.) Soon, Obi-wan parked, and the two were greeted by an overly excited group of clones primarily 501st and 212th, but once again several other colors could be picked out from the crowd.

Fives, Jesse, and Kix broke from the group first and greeted them. “Nice dress Senator,” joked Fives. “Am I allowed to hug you? Or will I get the dress dirty?” Kix gave Fives a dry look while Jesse just shook his head. Ahsoka, on the other hand, giggled.

“Fives, knock it off,” she laughed as she extended her arms towards the ARC trooper who wasted no time in hugging his _vod’ika_. Fives and Ahsoka had been close ever since Echo was lost on the Citadel mission, and Ahsoka made sure to watch out for the reckless man now that all his batchmates were gone to him.

“It’s good to see you in good spirits,” called a calm yet heavily accented voice. Ahsoka turned around to find Aayla, Shaak, and Plo walking up behind them. Smiling, Ahsoka inquired why they were there, to which they responded they came for the party the clones had thrown.

“Party? What party?” asked Ahsoka, looking back at the clones. Each one wore either a disappointed or bashful or sad face (though in true Fives’ fashion he looked mostly annoyed).

“Well there goes the element of surprise,” muttered Jesse. The clones shuffled behind them, seemingly trying to figure out where to go from here.

“I don’t know, I still plenty surprised,” replied Ahsoka. Her reply saved a few smiles, and Ahsoka was reminded of the clones’ fascination with ‘normal’ activities (apparently surprise belated birthday parties with Jedi as party guests were considered normal).

“Just wait till you see our set up!” exclaimed Fives. “It’ll knock your socks off! Whatever that means.” Ahsoka could only giggle at Fives’ enthusiasm. He always was getting into this or that thing. When Echo was here… Ahsoka stopped her train of thought at that. Echo was gone, and it did no one any good to dwell on the hurt.

“I would love to Fives, but I have to talk to Rex first.” Fives made a face, reminding Ahsoka of a small youngling she once had to watch. (The tike refused to understand that Jedi were more than lightsabers.)

“I wouldn’t bother. Rex is stuck in his office with req forms.” Ahsoka frowned. She thought this was strange. While Rex never procrastinated (his love for his brothers would never allow that), he was never focused on work unnecessarily.

“Nevertheless, I want to talk to him, and it’ll only take a second.” She brightened a bit. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll get him to join in on the fun. The rest of you go ahead. I’ll meet you at the barracks.” Fives looked a bit skeptical like he wanted to protest further, but Jesse nodded and dragged Fives with him to the barracks. The rest of the clones and the Jedi masters walked to the barracks, though Obi-wan lingered a bit.

“It looks as if the important matter I was going to discuss with Cody will have to wait. Such a shame,” he drawled. Ahsoka wanted to laugh at her grandmaster’s antics. He always seemed to be making some kind of remark.

“What was the meeting about, if you don’t mind me asking?” Ahsoka asked kindly, starting her way to Rex’s office.

“Don’t you have a meeting of your own?” Obi-wan teased though he followed her at an easy pace into the larger military compound. 

The Coruscant military base was housed in one building (due to the hasty remodeling of an old and unused government building) which meant that administrative offices shared the building with the barracks, the mess, the artillery (though clone, Jedi, and nat alike were trying to get that moved due to safety concerns), the training room, and storage. Due to the buildings checkered past (its uses have ranged from diplomatic to military to storage to even a rather scandalous and embarrassing one-time stint as a brothel a few corrupt politicians sponsored and frequented and a few other uses), the building’s architecture was a mismatch of different styles and structures. For example, the carpet in some areas changed at random spots into completely different patterns. In other places, different shade of paint colored the walls because of the difference in usage. Several troopers had theories about what aspect was part of this or that incarnation of the building (though no one argued against Fives’ theory that the tacky multi-colored geometric style carpet which had obviously seen better days before its installation was part of the building’s life as a whorehouse).

“Oh Master, don’t act like you weren’t going to escort me,” Ahsoka teased back. Obi-wan actually gave a small laugh which Ahsoka couldn’t remember the last time she heard such a thing (or even if she had).

“Oh, you’ve caught me. Anyway, Cody suggested a way for you to stay on with the if you choose to. It would be in the same capacity as before. Apparently, you were tried in military court instead of a civilian court, and, once proven innocent, an officer may not be removed unless for a specific reason. We’re researching the reasons now, and so far, you don’t meet any of the requirements, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t be allowed to stay.” Ahsoka felt a bit elated at the prospect. Being a Jedi was her purpose for so long, she sometimes forgot what she _really_ wanted out of life. When she was a youngling and in the early days of her apprenticeship, she wanted to be a Jedi Knight. As she got older, she simply wanted to help and to be there for her newfound family. While those goals were intertwined, there wasn’t a problem, but as Ashoka discovered that the Jedi Order was no longer somewhere she wanted to be, she had to find something else. Maybe, if Obi-wan and Cody could figure out something, she could find the GAR.

“That’s great!” Ahsoka smiled at the man next to her while they continued to Rex’s office. Watching him, Ahsoka noticed a certain tired quality around him. It wasn’t a tiredness per se, but his shoulders seemed to sag with a certain weigh and the lines on his face seemed a bit more pronounced than they had been in a while. “Master, when you said you were looking into ways ex-Jedi could stay on with the GAR and their men, you weren’t looking for me, were you?”

Obi-wan didn’t seem surprised at her question, but he still said, “Why, Ahsoka, what would make you say that?” It was obvious he was dodging the question. It was the only thing that annoyed Ahsoka about her grandmaster. His tendency to dance around questions and important topics because he thought Ahsoka or Anakin was better off not worrying about this or that made it that much harder to get close to the man. It was part of the reason his and Anakin’s relationship had been a bit tense these days. (The other part was Anakin’s possessive nature that caused him to have double standards when it came to secrets.) 

Ahsoka started to slow down to a stop. “Master, don’t do that. Just tell me. Are you leaving the Order?” Now, she was facing Obi-wan head-on, a serious look on her face, but Obi-wan just looked past her to the door behind her.

“It appears we have reached the captain’s office. We will have to continue this conversation another time.” Looking behind her, Ahsoka saw Obi-wan was indeed telling the truth. “I’ll be at the barracks with the men. I’ll try to make sure to save you some of the refreshments.” Obi-wan then turned and walked away while Ahsoka watched until he disappeared from sight. He hadn’t acknowledged her watchful gaze, but Ahsoka knew he was aware.

Once, Obi-wan was out of sight, Ahsoka sucked in a breath and slowly released it before turning to the door behind which Rex, a person she still had no clue how she felt about, sat behind a desk, bent over different documents relating to battalion numbers and supplies and reassignments. She vaguely wondered if her name was on any of the discharge documents before violently stomping that thought out of her head. Sighing, she knocked on the door. Usually, she would go right in, but thought better of it.

Rex called from the other side of the door. “Fives, for the last time, I’m not-”

She interrupted. “It’s not Fives. It’s me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me. More is coming.


	26. Barriss in Her Cell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sitting alone in her cell, Barriss kept going through the events of the past few months.

Sitting alone in her cell, Barriss kept going through the events of the past few months. It just didn’t add up right. She bombed the Temple to protest the war and blamed Ahsoka? Why? She didn’t agree with the war, certainly. 

As a healer, she felt more intimately the losses on the battlefield, had heard the calls of dying men’s souls too often ring through her soul as they tried to find peace in their last moments. Sometimes they called out for brothers or batchmates. Other times, they beseeched a higher power they didn’t really know to let them live. A few had just left with a quiet sigh of acknowledgment, too tired of the pain and grief and fighting. No matter what she did, they all seemed to die, and their deaths felt like lash marks on her soul.

Barriss just didn’t know anymore. She felt alone, scared, and trapped, like invisible hands had wrapped around her throat, and she just wanted it all to stop. The Force swirled darkly around her, and she couldn’t see the light anymore. She couldn’t trust her mind anymore, it was filled with too many contradictions and painful memories that left her even more confused and hurt. 

(After a particularly bad episode, she had battered her head and face so badly that Fox had her tied to the bed for the night. No matter how she begged or screamed, no one had untied her until the next morning when her old master arrived in the morning. Barriss, needless to say, tried to maintain the strictest control of her body since.)

They tried to give her a mental exam, but it simply caused a breakdown. There were talks of sending her to a mental facility, to which she protested loudly. To her, she was a criminal and needed to be punished. She had told her master as much to which Luminara only looked sad.

Barriss could see she had hurt her master, but it was the truth. She couldn’t see what treatment could do. It wouldn’t take back all the death and pain and destruction she caused. It wouldn’t absolve her like death would. There was nothing to be done about her, as far as Barriss was concerned, except a firing squad.

It wasn’t as if she _wanted_ to die, but what else was there? She wasn’t worthy of forgiveness, and she wouldn’t even entertain such nonsense. There was enough of that floating around her head, thank you _very_ much.

Luminara had asked if she had wanted to see Ahsoka and make amends and ask for forgiveness, but the very thought of seeing Ahsoka again made Barriss bleed. Her friend, her _best_ friend, the only one in the entire Jedi Order who understood the horrible pain of watching slaves created to die for something they had no stake in, who didn’t judge her for the sobs that escaped her on occasion, and who didn’t tell her to ‘release her feelings into the Force’ but rather just held her as she cried, and she had tried to have her killed. No, Barriss did not want to see Ahsoka and feel her hatred towards Barriss fill the room. It was no less than she deserved, but she begged Luminara off, though Barriss knew the Jedi would broach the subject again soon.

Then, she got the note. The note which spun in her head and made her think that maybe a mental facility was the best course of action in hindsight.

> The bombing wasn’t your fault. There is a Sith in the Senate. He is trying to destroy the Jedi. When the time comes, come with me if you want to save them and atone for your sins.  
> 

Atone? She could never be forgiven, that much was clear, but atone? It felt right, like the only right thing in a world of wrong. She could atone, but only if the note was real. She couldn’t very well ask one of the clones on duty or Luminara who sent the note or if it was real. No, they would only stop her from atoning, so Barriss resigned herself to wait for the hour of her atonement, reading the note back to herself when she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me. More is coming tomorrow. We will finally see the main ship talk to each other!


	27. The Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex’s heart stopped dead in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After 26 chapters, 29119 words, 55 comments, 262 kudos, 60 bookmarks, and 4952 hits, we finally see the main ship talk to each other. Thank you everyone for your patience and kind words. I do really want to see what you think, so please leave a comment.

“It’s not Fives. It’s me.”

Rex’s heart stopped dead in his chest. She was _here_ , outside his door. “Don’t you have a party to go to?” he called back. He winced at the snappy quality to it but thought it was worth it if she left quicker.

“Can I come in?” she called back pensively. Rex could almost see the pouty face she made whenever she felt guilty about something, and his resolve to not see her until he could get a hold on himself dissolved into smoke.

“Yes,” Rex called back. He immediately tried to go back to work, scanning the documents in front of him without really taking in any of the information. Instead, without his permission, his entire attention centered on the girl who had waltzed into his life and tried to waltzed right out as she opened the door and walked up to his desk. “I don’t really have a lot of time to talk, and Fives would never forgive me if I kept you from the party, so- Oh, wow.” He had looked up and saw her dress. It was beautiful, _she_ was beautiful, but he couldn’t help but hate it. It was just one more thing that separated them. He could never give her something so beautiful to wear (no matter how he wanted to and thought she deserved it), and something so nice didn’t really match up with a fighting-a-war lifestyle.

“You like it? Padmé gave it to me,” she said as she gave a little twirl, and Rex hated how the pit rumbled and rolled in his stomach.

“It’s nice,” he said through gritted teeth. Forcing his gaze down to the datapads on his desk, he tried not to let the tension he felt show. “What did you want to talk about?” 

“Yes,” she said, looking down before taking a seat across from him, “Rex? Are you upset with me?”

“Upset?” he replied incredulously. Was he _upset_? Of kriffing course he was! Why did she even have to ask?! She left without saying _anything_! No, ‘Rex, I’m leaving,’ or ‘Rex, this is it,’ or ‘Rex, goodbye.’ Just _nothing_! Like she didn’t care! Like he was _nothing_ to her.

“It’s okay if you are, but I just thought-” Ahsoka started, trying to move ahead.

“A little late for that, don’t you think?” Rex bit back without thinking like one does when provoked like a lit fuse. He knew it was a bit of a low blow, but what did he care? All he wanted at that moment was to lash out, and he knew all the little things that could hurt her. He knew because he had once made it his job to protect her from it all.

“What do you-”

“I mean you should’ve thought about how your actions would affect others, especially this battalion, but you didn’t, like always, and someone else had to clean up your mess, like always.” Rex could almost hear the rips in her flesh as his barbs sunk home. A part of him wanted to stop, but a larger more dominant part delighted in the idea he could hurt her like she hurt him.

“Rex, what happened?” she asked. Rex looked up to see her face filled with confusion and hurt, which just spurred him on. 

“You went AWOL, and everyone had to drop everything and bring home the little girl who ran away in a tantrum, _again_.” This time, he could see her wince as the pain hit her. The parts of him that wanted to stop wanted so bad to go over, hold her in his arms, and tell her he didn’t mean any of it, but that part still wasn’t in charge.

“That’s not-” she started, tears welling in her eyes. He stood up from his chair, the anger egging him on as he spat hellfire at her.

“What? That’s not what? Fair? Neither is leaving without saying anything, but you don’t hear me crying like a youngling.” He heard then felt her hand slap across his face, and he knew he crossed a line. Ahsoka was audibly sobbing now, and all his anger and hurt at her disappearance act evaporated. “Ahsoka-”

“Well, you’ve made yourself perfectly clear, Captain,” she said through tears. “I’ll leave you to your work!” And with that, Ahsoka spun around and damn near ran out the door.

“Ahsoka, I’m-” he yelled out after her, but the door shut close behind her, and she could hear him finish, “sorry.” He sunk down into his chair, staring at where she stood taking his verbal beating just moments before. The pit of dark anger and pain had left him, leaving a hollow feeling as he realized how he did the one thing he thought he would never do: hurt Ahsoka. 

For a long time, just sat there, staring at air, as if he thought she would materialize if he stared long enough until he finally hung his head in over his desk and cried. He would stay in his office, oscillating between overwhelming and heartbreaking sadness and empty hollowness. When Fives came by later knocking, trying to coax him out, he didn’t even answer. A few others tried (Kix, Jesse, even Brii and Tupp), but he never answered. 

He just sat at his desk forlornly until the door opened, and his general walked in. Rex didn’t have the will to stand up and salute or do much else than watch his general with eyes like sandpaper.


	28. Big Brother Ani

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin had been talking to Commander Fox.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with another chapter, this time from our boy Anakin. I do live off your reviews and comments (especially rants), so please let me know what you think or what character you would like to hear more from. (I definitely want to do another chapter with R2-D2 where is he is done with his organic units.)

Anakin had been talking to Commander Fox, discovering the depths of Palpatine’s secrets when he had heard about the party. He hadn’t wanted to come as he didn’t think he could even pretend that he wasn’t absolutely shattered. (It wasn’t every day that you found out the person who had always ‘supported’ you was really manipulating you into turning your back on everyone you ever cared about and becoming their Sith apprentice.) He had to be convinced by Fox that if he didn’t, it might look suspicious, and any tip-off to Palpatine could kill their plans to get rid of him before they started. Right now, they had to act business as usual as much as possible as they tried to get more evidence against him. 

So Anakin made his way to the barracks, wondering if he should tell Obi-wan or Rex. On one hand, the less they knew, the less danger they were in, and Anakin didn’t know who they would tell. On the other, he was pretty sure that Obi-wan trusted him more than the Council at this point (though Anakin could admit they would need them to get that SOB) and Rex was too head-over-heels in love with Ahsoka to ever endanger her. So deep in thought, he almost missed the muffled sobbing coming from a supply closet. Opening the door, he found Ahsoka, quietly crying into a rag from the closet.

Usually, Anakin let one of the clones handle Ahsoka’s tears. (It was what he would have preferred as a padawan, seeing he would rather pull his own teeth out than admit anything to Obi-wan.) Today, however, there were no clones to be seen, and Anakin was needed the win as of late (and he was seeing how the whole emotional distance could cause more problems than necessary if he was completely honest).

“Ahsoka,” Anakin said, to alert her to his presence more than anything. She whirled around, trying to hide as much evidence of her tears as possible. Anakin sighed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m fine, really,” she tried to insist, but her thick voice told a different story. The rag was twisted around itself in her hands while Ahsoka tried to avoid eye-contact.

“Snips, I know I might not be the best of masters, but I think I know that if my padawan is crying, she’s not fine. It’s one thing if you don’t want to talk to me, but please don’t think you have to lie and say you’re fine.” Anakin took the rag out her hands, took it to the sink in the corner meant for janitors and cleaning droid, and got a part of it wet with cold water. It wasn’t the softest, but it would work for what he wanted.

“It’s not a big deal. Rex and I just got into a bit of a fight,” Ahsoka finally surrendered. Anakin almost scoffed before turning back around and kneeling next to Ahsoka.

“It’s not a big deal, of course. Nevermind the fact you and Rex almost never fight, and he has never made you cry.” Anakin proceeded to gently wipe Ahsoka’s face with the cold and wet portion of the rag, erasing most of the evidence of her tears. “Now, I know I’m not the one you usually come to with these things, and you may have left the Jedi, but I’m still your Skyguy, and you can tell me anything.”

“I just want things to go back to normal,” Ahsoka confessed. Anakin’s heart lurched at how forlorn she looked. He quickly held her in a brotherly embrace, and he felt as her shoulder shook in more tears. 

Backing up, he gave her a rueful grin before reaching into his robes. “I might have something for that.” He pulled out her lightsabers, newly freed from their place in the evidence locker.

“My lightsabers!” exclaimed Ahsoka in excitement. She quickly took back her lightsabers, holding them to her chest, and Anakin only barely kept in his laugh at the sight.

“Fox gave them to me knowing our paths were likely to cross before yours did. He was able to get a working description from Ventress on those guys by the way, not that he’s not going to need a statement from you if he actually finds them. Why don’t we get going? The party should be in full swing by now, and it would be such a shame if you missed Fives’ party for you.” Ahsoka laughed, and Anakin gave her the room (or rather closet) to do what she needed to be presentable for the party.

Soon, Ahsoka emerged from the supply closet with her lightsabers in tow. Her face was still a little puffy, but none the worse. “Can you not tell anyone how you found me? It’s just that I don’t want to bring anyone into Rex and I’s argument, you know?”

“Sure Snips, whatever you like,” Anakin replied, though he did make a note to go check on Rex after the party reasoning that if Ahsoka was crying, Rex must be in a semi-depressive state. He was Rex’s friend too, and he wouldn’t be Anakin if he didn’t try to take care of everything himself.

They made their way to the party in the barracks, Anakin making jokes along the way to make Ahsoka laugh. He decided to put everything going on with Palpatine to the back of his head for the time being if only so Ahsoka could enjoy her birthday as she should’ve. Watching her interact with the clones had always been a favorite pastime of his. (There were times he went so far as to make sure she had as much time as possible to do so.) Watching her joke and laugh with her men again only served to make Anakin more firm in his mindset. She brought levity to war, and Anakin was determined to bring her back into the 501st fold if it killed him.

Later, after the party, he checked up on Rex, and while he didn’t think he was going to see Rex smiling and whistling Dixie, he wasn’t prepared for the absolute defeat that colored his countenance. Anakin was reminded of how he felt when Padmé had initially rejected him and wondered if that was how he looked. Making his way to the chair across from Rex, he made sure that the door closed behind him. If any clone overheard their conversation, Rex might not survive to do what Anakin had in mind.

“If not for Ahsoka’s wishes I not get involved, you would be on the next transport out of here to some other battalion,” Anakin started. Rex only nodded in acknowledgment. “Now, I don’t know what you said that made her so upset, but you _will_ make it up to her.”

“How?” Rex scoffed. The poor man looked like he wanted to jump in front of a moving tank.

“You are going to figure it out. You know Ahsoka better than Ahsoka does most of the time. I’m sure you can think of something.” When Rex didn’t respond, Anakin sighed. “Look, Ahsoka may not know it yet, but I’ve seen the way you two look at each other sometimes. I know she feels about you what you feel about her. If you just give her some time and put a little effort in, I’m sure-”

“I called her a youngling,” Rex interrupted. Anakin nearly groaned. Ahsoka’s abilities had always been her sore-spot. It didn’t matter how many times anyone ever told her she was good, she always had something to prove.

“Well, that’s bad. It could be worse though,” Anakin paused. “Listen, I know what it’s like to be so mad you can’t control yourself. The aftermath is … devastating, to say the least, but there is a way back to normal. You just have to try.” Watching Rex, Anakin realized that Rex wasn’t really listening because his words had failed to fully sink in. “I’ll let you think about it, but Ahsoka _is_ coming with us on our next deployment, and I don’t want to see anything from either of you that might jeopardize the mission, so you need to fix this as soon as possible or at least find a way to move past it long enough to fight the Separatists.” 

With that, Anakin got up and left his captain to his thoughts. It would be hard, but he would let the captain and Ahsoka find their own way back to each other. After all, he needed to focus on getting rid of that sick bastard in the Chancellor's chair before he could hurt any more people or destroy any more of the Republic.


	29. The Dibs War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bly was having fun watching the many battalions mingle with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Mother's Day! I hope you and all yours are well! Please leave a comment as to what you think as I love hearing from you!

Bly was having fun watching the many battalions mingle with each other. The shinies, of course, looked a little lost, having never really spent time with commanding officers or Jedi, but the 501st was known for their welcoming atmosphere and bringing brothers in without question. (Upon reflection, Bly was willing to bet this was caused by Ahsoka. Battalions did tend to follow their commander’s example after all.)

“Bly, do you see Ahsoka?” asked Aayla. She might never be as integrated as Ahsoka, but she wasn’t unwelcome, especially with the 327th. Regardless, she tended to stick to Bly’s side in most social situations. Bly carefully scanned the room and couldn’t find the girl.

“No, but Fives said she wanted to talk to Rex before coming,” replied Bly. Looking at Aayla, he didn’t miss the self-pleased smile she tried to hide behind her cup. “Why?”

“Rumor has it that there’s a way for Jedi to leave the Order but remain with the army,” she said conspiratorily. Bly tried not to sigh. Ever since they got Ahsoka back, Aayla was scheming to find a way to get Ahsoka in the 327th. It was cute how single-minded she was, but nothing and no one was taking Ahsoka from the 501st. These men were more loyal to her than their own _general_ at times, and like hell, they would let her leave. It would need to be some huge internal break in the chain of command for Ahsoka to leave.

“General-” Bly started.

“Aayla,” she insisted. It was the first time she had done so, so Bly’s heart did a little flip in his chest.

“Aayla, the 501st isn’t going to let Ahsoka just walk out the door. They need her to keep Skywalker alive,” he joked. Aayla gave him a that read like ‘Ain’t that the truth,’ but otherwise dropped the subject, and Bly prayed that would be the end of it, but then Skywalker walked in with a puffy-faced Ahsoka and tear marks on his shirt. They hid it well, being their usual teasing and playful selves, but he could tell Aayla picked up on that. “Aayla, we work with the 501st. Not often, but enough. Please don’t start something we can’t finish.”

“I think you underestimate the 327th, and I’m sure, if Ahsoka was around, morale would be high enough to handle whatever the 501st would throw at us,” Aayla purred. Bly grit his teeth. His general could be damn determined. Give her an inch, and she would gain a mile.

“Bly,” grumbled Wolffe. “Tell your general that if Ahsoka was leaving the 501st for _anyone_ , it would be the 104th. She was supposed to ship out with us anyway.”

“Yeah, then she had to break regs to save your sorry shebs,” countered Cody. “Ahsoka’s not leaving the 501st, but she sure as _kriff_ wouldn’t be joining either of your outfits as 212th has superior dibs.” Ah, dibs, the currency of any sibling relationship, and the clones were no different. Many things were held in common (a lack of personal property would do that), but with things that had to be shared (ie, clothes, bunks, etc.), a delicate and intricate system of dibs determined mostly by seniority and common sense dictated who got what when, but dibs was also an honor system. A good brother honored a decent dibs while a bad brother jumped dibs. It had gotten to the point that a clone who didn’t honor the dibs had nothing but his bucket.

“How you figure, Codes?” asked Wolffe. He already sounded like he was rearing for a fight, and Bly just hoped it wouldn’t be with Aayla.

“Well, Wolffe,” Cody replied calmly but with a significant amount of smugness. He really did pick up the more annoying aspects of Kenobi. “My general was her general’s master, making him her grandmaster, so my dibs are superior to yours.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, _vod_ ,” growled Wolffe. “My general brought her to the Temple, allowing your general to become her grandmaster, so your dibs wouldn’t exist without my general, so _my_ dibs are superior to _yours_.”

“What about my dibs?” spoke up Aayla, and Bly wanted to laugh at his brothers’ faces as they turned to his general who regarded them as she did a battlefield. “Ahsoka and I share a magnitude of things: we both come from fetishized species, we both had rather rash masters, we both have to deal with being women from different species in a force made up of mostly human men. We have more in common with each other than you have with her, therefore, _my_ dibs are superior to _any_ of yours.”

“That’s not how they work, _Se-cu-ra_ ,” growled Wolffe. His stance could be likened to a wild predator, ready to go in for the kill while Cody carefully weighed his options between the two opponents. All the while, none of them noticed Ahsoka quietly slinking up to Bly’s side.

“What are they arguing about?” she whispered. Bly smiled as he watched the ex-padawan out of the corner of his eye.

“They’re arguing over who has superior dibs,” he replied in kind. He could see Ahsoka’s eye sparkle. The dibs system had two main characteristics: how orderly and peaceful it was and it was a clone system. For a Jedi and two clone commanders to be fighting, it had to be something big, bigger than high-quality rations or the one time they served honest-to-gods real food instead of the free-dried or artificial stuff.

“Over what? And who’s taking bets?” asked Ahsoka eagerly, and Bly didn’t blame her. Fights over dibs could get more heated than the godsdamned _war_ , and brotherhoods had been broken over a dibs-fight. (Shaker and Slate still refused to talk to each other directly, and one nearly lost an _arm_ , but Bly had heard from one of the guys in comms that Slate was open to reconciliation as long as Shaker didn’t bring up the dibs over the jogan.) As sad as that was, they were more entertaining than anything else, and the dibs system had been finely tuned over the years so that a broken dibs was less and less common.

“You, and I think that Tup over there is running the action.” Bly enjoyed the double-take Ahsoka did when she realized she was the topic of the argument.

“What? Why are they fighting over me?” asked Ahsoka in confusion, and Bly was suddenly reminded of the girl on Maridun who undervalued herself in terms of others’ affection. Bly had thought she had grown out of it, but it seemed that our childhood insecurities never truly leave us.

“They’re trying to figure out which of them has the better dibs for when you leave the 501st.” Ahsoka looked absolutely lost, and Bly only felt a little bad for his general.

“Who said I was leaving the 501st?” Hands on hips, Ahsoka was at maximum sass.

Bly simply shrugged. “That’s what I said.” 

“And Fives isn’t in this?” Ahsoka scanned the crowd to see where the ARC trooper went.

“Nah, he probably figures they’re fighting over who gets the airlock first.” Ahsoka laughed, and Bly had to admit it was a nice sound to hear from the _vod’ika_. Bly sincerely hoped she found whatever it was she was looking for, but until then, he also knew they were going to be in this dibs limbo.

“I’m going to fix this,” she decided, and Bly could only half-heartedly try to stop her as she marched over to break up the fight and set the three of them straight. He was rewarded for his non-action with a subtle pout from Secura, and he sighed knowing she would sulk around the place for days to come.


	30. Padmé's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padmé’s day had been jammed packed with Senate business.

Padmé’s day had been jammed packed with Senate business. First, she had her meeting with Bail and Mon and the others. She was a bit distracted at first but eventually got back into the groove of it once the question of how to pay the Kaminoans off for a solution to the accelerated aging the clones experienced. Padmé had brought up (with silent glee) what she had found with her research. 

Turns out, the Kaminoans broke multiple health and slave codes in not only the initial formation of the clone army but also the clones upkeep and the extermination (she had termed it illegal execution though Bail, who was a bit politically wiser, suggested extermination). Her strategy was then to either tell the Kaminoans to find a solution without pay or face charges or to charge them and then sentence them to find a solution. Most agreed with the second as the first sounded like a shakedown. (Padmé vaguely wondered if she spent a little too much time with her husband.) The strategy agreed on, the meeting broke so that each senator could write their portion of the bill. 

Then, as soon as Padmé made her way back to her office, her inbox was flooded with forms requiring her sign-off. A few were about new security measures around the Senate building, but a couple pertained to Ahsoka’s case in front of the Senate. Padmé gladly signed the forms which would allow Ahsoka her lightsabers and transfer Barriss to a mental facility for treatment and possible rehabilitation though Padmé doubted that would happen. (The Republic had been publicly humiliated by the girl, and Palpatine was nothing if not proud, something Padmé grew more annoyed with as her kind mentor became more and more of the power-grabbing ass she came to know.) She held off on signing the form that would release the Republic from any wrongdoing. It would prolong the case, for sure, but Ahsoka was no longer in any danger, and she deserved to have a say in the case’s conclusion, even if it meant nothing happened (though Padmé thought she had a very solid case for reimbursement for emotional distress). Then, speak of the devil, Palpatine had requested a meeting to discuss her new clone bill and the Ahsoka’s case. Padmé had tried to make excuses but only succeeded in getting the man to wait until morning. 

By the time Padmé had finished, night had fallen, and she was exhausted. Having called Captain Typho to give her a ride back (as he insisted she do whenever she wanted to go somewhere), Padmé took the time spent weaving through traffic to unwind a bit and to plan what she wanted to say to Ahsoka a bit. She knew she wanted to apologize and roll back the rules (namely the ones restricting movement), but she also knew that some rules had to stay in place or else another problem would arise. By the time she got the apartment, she had toyed with the idea of a roommate contract, adding Ahsoka’s name to the lease, and getting Ahsoka her own place (that last one was possible but didn’t exactly address any of Padmé’s concerns and she wasn’t even sure she was ready for that anyway).

Ahsoka was in the kitchen. She had changed into a comfy tee and some sweats Padmé had gotten her on one of her retail therapy trips. (Padmé didn’t feel bad about her money as there was no shame in investing wisely as a public servant so long as she didn’t use the information she across in her line of work and she always disclosed relevant information.) She was making a salad that both she and Padmé could enjoy.

“Hey Padmé,” Ahsoka greeted as she continued to toss the salad. “Dinner will be ready in a moment. Hope you don’t mind the salad I made.”

“No, no, it looks good,” Padmé replied, taking off her shoes as she sat at the kitchen table. “How was your talk with Rex?” 

Ahsoka stiffened for hardly a moment before she relaxed again. “I, I don’t want to talk about it.” Padmé felt pity for the poor girl. Obviously, the talk backfired, and Ahsoka got caught in the crossfire.

“Okay, just know I’m here,” Padmé said, deciding it would be better to give the girl a bit of space in regards to her relationship with Rex. “Now, Ahsoka, I had hoped to talk to you about the this early today, but everything got in the way, so I think we should take the time to-”

“Is this about the rules you gave yesterday?” Ahsoka interrupted. Padmé would be upset if it wasn’t so spot on.

“How did you know?” Padmé laughed, suddenly relieved she didn’t have to broach the topic completely alone.

“You know that thing your eyebrow does whenever Anakin does something irredeemably stupid? You were doing it the entire time you were issuing your house rules.” Ahsoka began plating the salad and Padmé got up to pour herself some Nabooian pear wine before returning to her seat at the table. “Not to say you were a bit justified, not completely, but just a bit. I wasn’t thinking about you or anyone else when I wandered off, and I really scared you and a lot of other people, and for that I’m sorry.” Ahsoka picked up the two plates and carried them to the table. “Why don’t we just agree to be friends and I’ll respect your home as long as I’m here? How’s that sound?”

Padmé giggled. “That sounds perfect.” Padmé raised her glass in a toast.

“Senator, Senator,” Ahsoka sang just as something shook Padmé’s shoulder. Padmé opened her eyes to see Typho standing over her. “Senator, we’ve arrived at your apartment.”

Padmé could’ve swore, and if she was any less of a Senator, of an ex-queen, or her mother’s daughter, the swears she would’ve let out would’ve peeled the paint off her speeder. Instead, she gathered her things and marched inside her apartment where hopefully she could get at least a portion of the satisfaction from her actual talk with Ahsoka than her dream talk.


	31. A Broken Curfew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka was having fun at the party, not noticing the time go by.

Ahsoka was having fun at the party, talking to the boys, eating cake, playing her favorite board games that Fives had managed to sneak in, and not noticing the time go by. Of course, her fun was a bit hampered by her fight with Rex, but she tried to put that aside as much as possible and enjoy the company of people who didn’t hate her at the moment. She even got to ask Master Plo and Master Ti why they voted against her in the Chamber of Judgement. Though she was disappointed, she could see their reasoning and sense their shame that she forgave them.

As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun, and Ahsoka didn’t notice until very late at night that she had most certainly broken curfew with Padmé. “Obi-wan,” she called out in a panicked voice.

“Yes, Ahsoka,” he responded a bit bewildered. He had been sharing a laugh with his men on one side of the room when she called out, so there was still some merriment and joy to his voice.

“I’m late. I need to get to Padmé’s right now,” Ahsoka said, as she grabbed her grandmaster’s hand and flew to the speeder.

“Ahsoka! Slow down,” exclaimed Obi-wan in his Jedi-masterly way. “Padmé is a very sensible person; I sure she’ll understand you just lost track of time!” Obi-wan tried to slow her down without tripping either himself or her, but only managed to almost rip his robe (though it was of very little importance as he had lost countless outer robes as Cody could attest to and constantly complain about). 

Anakin had noticed them and ran to catch up. “What’s going on?” he asked, every inch the Republic general.

“I’m late for curfew,” Ahsoka said not slowing down as Anakin and a reluctant Obi-wan kept pace with her.

“I’ll drive,” Anakin exclaimed, and Ahsoka was thankful that Anakin had maintained his skill in flying and podracing. The small lineage of Jedi ran to the speeder Obi-wan and Ahsoka had taken earlier in the day. Anakin quickly started it up while Ahsoka pushed her grandmaster in the back seat before flipping into the passenger side seat upfront. Soon, they were flying through Coruscanti traffic when Obi-wan screamed for Anakin to slow down.

By the time they got to Padmé’s apartment, Padmé herself was standing in the living room, still dressed from her day in the Senate, staring out the window into the traffic outside. She didn’t turn around when they ran in, but rather stayed where she was.

“Ahsoka, have you eaten?” she asked, still facing the window. Anakin and Ahsoka shared a look that said _we-are-so-dead_ while Obi-wan went straight in The Negotiator mode.

“Senator, I apologize for Ahsoka being out so late,” he started to explain. “It really-”

“I’m going to take that as a no,” Padmé interrupted. “Anakin, could you and Obi-wan go into the kitchen and make Ahsoka something light for dinner? I need to talk to her.”

“Now, Padmé,” started Anakin, but Padmé shot him a look, and he sighed. As he and Obi-wan left for the kitchen, they both gave her encouraging looks though neither was particularly successful at raising her spirits.

“Padmé, I’m really sorry. I just lost track of time, and-” Ahsoka blurted out. Padmé simply raised one hand and gestured to the couch next to her with the other. Taking the hint, Ahsoka took a seat on the couch whereby Padmé took a seat next to her.

“Have I ever told you what happened after the Trade Federation tried to invade Naboo?” Padmé asked which puzzled Ahsoka. She knew what happened, of course, as she was taught about the invasion in one of her history classes at the Temple.

“The Naboo and the native Gungans were able to-” Ahsoka began in confusion.

“No, not that,” Padmé interrupted gently. “In the aftermath of the invasion, my mother came to the palace in Theed and absolutely blew up. It didn’t matter that I was the queen or that I had a duty to my people. She only cared that her fourteen-year-old daughter got it into her head that she needed to go to the heart of the conflict and possibly get herself killed. She hadn’t been thrilled at the idea of me being queen in the first place, but after that, she would make snide and rude comments whenever she could, and she had plenty of opportunities given she refused to leave my side for the next two months. She also imposed as many rules on my life as she could. The only reason she left is that I threatened to have her thrown out. Our relationship has never been the same since. Do you know why I’m telling you this?”

“No,” Ahsoka said simply. The story was strange to hear, mostly because Ahsoka could not understand why Padmé had insisted on it, but it was also sad. Ahsoka could tell that Padmé regretted the distance between her mother and herself, but not her actions that might have led to it. While Ahsoka had never met the woman (as she was suspiciously absent from Padmé’s visit to Naboo for the Festival of Lights), Ahsoka was willing to bet the same was true for her mother, leaving their relationship in a sort of limbo for both as they tried to figure out how to move past the damage done.

“Well, I realized that I had acted in much the same way as my mother did, only worse. I know how unfair those kinds of rules are and I tried to impose them on you anyway, and I don’t want to be your _mother_ , I want to be your _friend_ , even though I haven’t acted like one yesterday and today…” trailing off, Padmé looked down at her hands in shame, and it hurt Ahsoka to see the proud and kind senator shame-faced.

Putting her hand on Padmé’s shoulder, Ahsoka responded, “Padmé, you’ve been a wonderful friend to me. You have always given me sound advice and protected me as much as you could, especially in the last couple of weeks. I think we all can forgive a momentary lapse in sanity after all the stress and heartache I personally put you through.”

Padmé gave Ahsoka a soft smirk and said, “Thanks Ahsoka. That means a lot, but I am sorry for what I did. I went completely off the rails.”

“Oh trust me, I’ve seen off the rails, and that wasn’t it,” Ahsoka joked, causing the senator to laugh. “I’m sorry too for what it’s worth. For all of it, the trial, the worry, the stress, the running off. It wasn’t fair to you or anybody else.”

“Thank you, Ahsoka. That’s very kind of you,” smiled Padmé. “Why don’t I pour us a couple glasses of pear wine I have in the kitchen and we just talk for a bit before bed? I have some documents to go over with you in regards of the trial, and I want to hear all about your conversation with Captain Rex.” Ahsoka winced, and though she tried to hide it from Padmé, Padmé saw. “Ahsoka?”

“It didn’t go well,” said Ahsoka a bit choked up as she was reminded of how Rex had screamed at her. 

“Oh, Ahsoka,” Padmé cooed. She reached out to give some comfort, but Ahsoka shook her head.

“It’s my fault,” insisted Ahsoka, getting more and more upset with every word. “I, I was the one who ran away, who didn’t say goodbye, who didn’t think of anyone else like a youngling.” Full-on bawling now, Ahsoka felt like the lowest of the low as Padmé wrapped her arms around her.

“Is that what he said?” Padmé asked confused.

“The gist,” Ahsoka hiccuped back. Padmé just held her close and whispered soothing words back to her though Ahsoka was too upset to really hear her.

“Okay, that’s it,” stormed in Anakin, ready to come to his Snips’ defense, but a quick look around the room and he apparently thought better of it.

“Anakin, bring us some tissues, ice cream, two glasses, and that pear wine from the kitchen if you would be so kind, and bring them to Ahsoka’s room” Padmé ordered before returning to Ahsoka. “Come on, let’s get you into some pajamas, huh?”

Padmé led Ahsoka back to her room where she changed in the refresher while Padmé waited in the bedroom. Quickly going through her nightly routine, Ahsoka emerged to find that Anakin had brought everything and some pajamas for Padmé. Passing the bottle back and forth, complaining about men, and eating ice cream like their lives depended on it, Ahsoka and Padmé spent the rest of the night until they passed out. The next morning, they felt lousy, but still a bit lighter emotionally.


	32. A Night at the Opera

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating for a few days and for this update being so short, but I'm working on another chapter to be posted ASAP.

He couldn’t put his finger on it, but Palpatine felt uneasy. He sat in his office perfectly still, wondering why the Force felt off. It didn’t have the same insistence of darkness to it as it swirled around him. He thought as to what this could be but decided it was that fool boy growing closer to that blasted Kenobi.

Sighing, he got up and called for Amidala to come to him in the morning. Through her, he could get a better idea of how Skywalker was. He had also heard that tedious Tano was living with her, which could be a problem down the road, but he could fix it easy enough. 

Palpatine had to smile. Even when it _seemed_ the Light was gaining on him, the power of the Dark Side gave him the insight needed to thwart the Light. Deciding he wanted to see the opera as a little prize for his genius, he called for his entourage and security to be made ready. The feeling of the Force didn’t become better, but he didn’t particularly care at that point. He simply wanted to enjoy the slight feeling of victory around him, no matter how untrue.

In the security check of his associates, he didn’t even notice one of the sergeants plant listening devices on some of the more important members of his entourage, namely Sly Moore, Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin (who had managed to sidestep any and all scandal when it came to the Tano trial quite cleverly), and Mas Amedda. He did notice Admiral Tarkin’s slightly more stern look, however.

“Tarkin, old friend, what seems to be the problem? You seem a bit apprehensive,” the secret Sith lord questioned light-heartedly. Palpatine was concerned (not for the man of course, but what could possibly happen to affect his careful planning).

The man shook his head and managed a small smirk. “Nothing Chancellor, I suppose I might wonder if being seen with me so soon after the trial might not be the best move,” he replied coolly.

“Nonsense,” he assured. “That horrible ordeal had nothing to do with you, and any part you played in the near execution of Ms. Tano, however unfortunate, was simply you executing your job to the fullest. You are a most devoted servant of the Republic, and anyone who says otherwise is misguided.” Palpatine was pleased with his performance and wondered how long it would take for this simple matter to be swept under the rug.

“Thank you, Chancellor,” replied Tarkin, already planning on how to distance himself. While he appreciated the role the Chancellor had in his rise in the military, it was obvious by the listening devices planted by the clones that he was on his way out, and if Tarkin wanted to survive the fall, he would have to find a new patron.


	33. Bad News on the Drive Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan was a simple man with simple beliefs and goals.

Obi-wan was a simple man with simple beliefs and goals. He believed in the Jedi Code as it existed in its original version and the goodness that existed in everyone. He wanted to protect his little circle of family and friends and see the war brought to an end. He wanted Anakin to live happily and openly with his senator wife and Ahsoka to find her way in the galaxy. 

And, at the moment that Anakin was driving the both of them back to the Temple, he wanted to go to _sleep_. He loved the clones like brothers, but their parties always got a bit crazy and tiring after a while. As they drove back to the Temple, the only home that Kenobi had ever known, all he felt was tired of all of it: the lying, the contradictions, the blind faith expected of him, the expectations the Council put on Anakin so unfairly, the war, the Darkness that plagued his days and nights alike, all of it.

“You’re very quiet tonight, master,” opened Anakin. Obi-wan bit back a chuckle. Anakin had always uncomfortable in the silence whether he noticed or not.

“Oh, I’m just a tired old man, Anakin. Sometimes we sit in the silence,” teased Obi-wan. Anakin made a faux offended noise.

“You’re not old,” he protested playfully. Obi-wan laughed at their silly joke before sighing happily. “Master? Are you really looking at leaving the Order? I mean, you’ve always wanted to be a Jedi.”

“Anakin,” Obi-wan started. “Thank you for checking with me, it’s very kind of you. I don’t know when, but I will be leaving the Order. I no longer see staying with the Order and being a Jedi as mutually exclusive. I still believe in the Code, but not in the Council, not anymore.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Anakin slowly nod his head. 

“Do you think it will be after the war?” asked Anakin. Obi-wan could tell that Anakin was uncharacteristically serious about this and wondered why.

“If I can’t stay with you and the men after leaving the Order, yes, but even when I leave I will still be there for you if that’s what you’re worried about,” Obi-wan replied with care. He hadn’t said anything, but he could tell that something was bothering Anakin from before the party. He wanted to say it was the situation with Ahsoka and Rex, but now he thought Anakin worried about being left behind. He always did have very bad separation anxiety. 

(Obi-wan could still vividly remember the little padawan running after him in a panic to make sure Obi-wan hadn’t tried to ditch him on multiple occasions. His personal favorite was the time he had run headfirst into a wall because he hadn’t slowed down enough to turn. He spent the next week in the Halls of Healing for a concussion then the two weeks after glued to his side ‘as punishment’ though neither really fought it.)

“I’m not worried about _that_ Obi-wan. I know you’d always be there for me,” Anakin countered. Obi-wan smiled. It seemed that Anakin had found a new interest in maintaining their friendship, something that had always been but had taken the backseat to the Chancellor’s interest on several occasions. “Obi-wan, I have something to tell you, but you have to trust me and not go to the Council.”

“Anakin, of course, I trust you,” Obi-wan had said. He hadn’t meant for it to sound like a scolding, but Obi-wan couldn’t help feeling a bit annoyed for Anakin thinking he didn’t trust him.

“It’s not that I don’t think you trust me Obi-wan, but this is a big deal,” Anakin said seriously. Obi-wan nearly rolled his eyes.

“Bigger than being married to the most heart-on-her-sleeve senator?” Obi-wan teased, not realizing the full extent of the issue.

“Yes,” Anakin said sternly. Obi-wan was shocked at how serious Anakin was being as he was almost never serious. The only times Obi-wan ever really saw Anakin being serious is when it was called for in regards to Ahsoka’s Jedi training.

“Anakin, what is it?” he asked, feeling a deep pit of enclosing doom and fear as some unknown (to him anyway) threat circled his boy. He pointedly shoved all of that aside (along with the memory of Satine’s last moments) as he focused entirely on Anakin.

“Palpatine- He’s a Sith. He’s the Sith we’ve been looking for.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: I got the little story about Anakin running into a wall from my own childhood. As a little kid, I used to run around everywhere and sometimes couldn't turn fast enough. My mom says I had bruises all over my forehead all the time (which is probably why she invested in bangs).


	34. Temple Sleepover

Anakin pulled into the Temple with Obi-wan. His master simply stared ahead for the rest of the way after hearing that Palpatine was … what he was. He turned off the speeder, but neither moved.

“Does anyone else know?” asked Obi-wan, still looking ahead. Anakin looked down at his hands still at the wheel.

“Just Fox. He was the one to tell me. He has some evidence, but not enough to get everyone involved. He wants to wait until he does have the evidence if we can,” Anakin replied. “I was thinking about telling Rex and Ahsoka, but if you don’t think it’s a good idea…”

Obi-wan sighed. “I don’t know, Anakin. I just don’t know.” Obi-wan rubbed at his face with his hands.

“I know. It was a lot for me too at first.” Anakin didn’t want to admit that he still was waiting for the other shoe to drop, because it was all so fantastic, but he also could see the truth of it all, how it felt like everything that had happened with Palpatine and his little comments and the war suddenly made sense.

“I let that _thing_ around you, and for _years_ ,” ached Obi-wan. The pain in his voice nearly broke Anakin.

“Well, it’s not like I made it hard for him,” Anakin joked back grimly before letting out a sigh. “It’s not your fault, Master. We all bought it, lock, stock, and barrel, but now we have the chance to fix everything.”

“You’re right,” Obi-wan said, “but we’ll have to be careful. Let me … let me think about … this before you do something or tell anyone. We have to choose our allies wisely in this, and Fox is a good start. For now, we act business as usual” Anakin nodded though Obi-wan had not moved his head at all and could not see Anakin. Anakin began to get out of the speeder when Obi-wan’s hand flashed out and grabbed his right wrist. “Thank you for trusting me with this.”

“There’s no one else I’d rather go to,” Anakin said honestly. Sure, he could go to Yoda or Mace or anyone else in the Order, but no one who could understand the need for discretion like Obi-wan.

The two of them walked into the Temple quietly and then to Obi-wan’s apartment. They silently went through the motions of making tea, not bothering to make small talk as they did, Obi-wan captive to his thoughts as the truth of the situation snuck in and Anakin soaking up the familiar and safe presence of his master after a long and draining day. 

Sitting next to each other, they drank their tea and then fell slept side by side, like they hadn’t since before the war, not wanting to give up the simple comfort of each other’s presence after such a hard yet simple truth. Tomorrow, they would face their enemy, step by step, but for that night, they clung to the small pleasures and securities they still had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be honest. Is this story taking a bit of a dive? I know it will pick up soon (as per my ideas for the story) but I feel like I'm writing all this filler in the meantime. I don't know.


	35. Dooku's Puzzle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Count Dooku sat at his table with the reluctant Duchess, sipping tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the support on the last chapter! Hope you all like this one!

Count Dooku sat at his table with the reluctant Duchess, sipping tea made with a special blend of his. It was one of his favorites because it came with the best memories. He remembered making the tea for Qui-Gon when his padawan had come home from training or a mission disheartened for this or that reason. (Dooku would freely admit that his little padawan was a bit dramatic if asked, but none ever did.) They always ended up laughing and smiling by the end. He had even made this tea when Qui-Gon had reservations on taking on another apprentice. Thankfully, he was able to convince him to be open to the will of the Force, and Qui-Gon would eventually take on the headstrong Kenobi.

Finally, the Duchess spoke up, “Obi-wan made this for me quite regularly when we were on the run. How do you know how to make it?” Her voice was colored with accusation, but the Count only finished his sip.

“I made for Qui-Gon who probably made it for Obi-wan. It’s not a complicated recipe, so it’s not surprising Obi-wan learned how to make it,” he replied simply. He could tell the Duchess was frustrated with how casual he was in their interactions, and, truth be told, he found it quite amusing.

“How can you act so casually? Have you no shame?” demanded the captive Duchess with eyes like fire.

“It’s nice to see that, even as a pacifist, Mandalorians are still the most fiery people in the galaxy,” the Count said, knowingly lighting the fuse that was this woman’s fury.

The Duchess sucked in a breath to begin her tirade when word from one of Dooku’s spies reached him via comm.

> They are moving Offee tonight. Will be there to intercept. Will bring her to you. Tano is safe with 501st. 

Dooku smiled as another piece fell into his hands. It seemed a bit ambitious (even to him) but he sincerely hoped that by the end of the year his padawan’s killer would be brought to justice and his lineage would finally be safe.

“What is it?” demanded the Duchess. Dooku had to applaud her. While she hadn’t become welcoming by any measure, she had clearly put aside open hostility for the moment.

“It seems another piece of the puzzle is on its way,” he replied cryptically. The Duchess rolled her eyes, but Dooku didn’t care. He was an old man, and, after all he had seen and done, he felt entitled to a little mystery, especially when he was that much closer to justice and security for his little lineage.


	36. Cody and Rex; Rex and Cody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex nearly threw the datapad...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for bad language.

> ~~Dear Ahsoka,~~
> 
> ~~I’d like to start out by saying that I’m sorry for going off on you. I didn’t mean to call you a youngling and a child.~~

> ~~Dear Ahsoka,~~
> 
> ~~I would like to apologize for my behavior. I just was upset that~~

> ~~Dear Ahsoka,~~
> 
> ~~I love you.~~

Rex nearly threw the datapad he was trying (and failing) at writing an apology to Ahsoka. He had holed up in his office, ignored his work, his brothers, and every attempt by Fives to draw him out, and set his mind as to how he was to fix his massive fuck up with Ahsoka. (Rex wasn’t one to use vulgarity lightly despite not being offended by it, but he felt his mistake could only be correctly summed up in an f-bomb.) He had come up with other ideas too: offering to take her to 79’s and buy her first drink for her while explaining everything, going to the Senator’s apartment with lunch from her favorite restaurant to hopefully apologize, flopping down at her feet and begging for her forgiveness until she either mercifully gave it or ran him through with her lightsaber. None of his ideas ever topped writing a letter, and so he sat at his desk, trying to write out a stupid apology because he had no other idea on how to fix his fuck up. Suddenly, a crush against the wall sounded, and Rex realized he did actually throw the datapad against the wall (which would be an absolute bitch explaining away). 

“Is now a good time?” asked Cody. Looking up, Rex saw his _ori’vod_ in the door. While he rarely came by, Cody had uncanny ability to be able to sense when his _vod’ika_ needed him.

“What do you need Codes?” asked Rex gruffly. Rex was not in the mood to be trifled with, and if Cody tried to hand off any paperwork at that moment, Rex would shove it where the sun don’t shine (ranks and brotherhood be damned).

“Well, I was going to hand over some forms you need to sign before the disembarking for the campaign,” Cody started, and Rex could feel his blood pressure skyrocket. “But looking at your face, I better ask what’s wrong.”

“I fucked up,” Rex sighed. He felt like a cadet back on Kamino, when they used to ultra-criticize everything he did just because of his hair: anxious, angry, frustrated. It felt good to finally be able to tell someone who wouldn’t kill him (or at least, not before hearing him out).

“Oh come on,” Cody razzed. “It can’t be that bad.” The sauntered in, let the door close behind him, and sat down in the chair across from him. “Tell me what happened.” Cody listened, not interrupting beyond slight wincing here and there. “ _Vod_ ,” Cody groaned.

“I know! I know, I fucked up. I don’t know what to do or how to make it better or anything,” cried Rex. He just held his head in his hands over his desk, trying not to let the tears out.

“I was just going to say it’s okay, _vod_ ,” said Cody gently. Cody rarely used his gentle voice. It was used mainly for brothers at the end of their ropes with grief or sorrow or stress or kids who were scared out of their minds found in the middle of a battlefield. Rex felt his _ori’vod_ put his hand on his shoulder, and just like that, Rex began to cry anew. “I know how worried and scared you were when she was taken and how hurt you were when she left. I’m not surprised you snapped, but if you honestly think Ahsoka isn’t trying to figure out how to apologize to you too, you don’t know her as well as you think.” Rex looked up and saw Cody had moved to lean on the desk on his side to be closer. “How about we work on your letter together and then have a nice little drink together before calling it a day, yeah?” Cody smiled down at his _vod’ika_ , and Rex smiled back through the tears.

“That sounds good Codes, but …” Rex stalled. “Kix took the whiskey.” Rex looked sheepish and tried not to slide down in his chair.

Cody laughed, “Really? Why? He’s never had a problem with the boys having a drink or two there.”

“He thought I was using it to cope with Ahsoka leaving,” said Rex. Knowing Cody, he wasn’t going to let it go until he had the full story, so Rex copped to all of it. “I pretty much downed most of it in one sitting.” Cody’s amusement was wiped away. His new expression was one only older siblings could use, the ‘oh-you-are-lucky-I’m-not-mom’ expression that told Rex he was not going to live this down anytime soon.

“Rex,” sighed Cody, looking up at the ceiling (much like he would whenever Kenobi either a. Flirted with the enemy, b. Got captured, c. lost his lightsaber, d. A mix of above, or e. Surprise headache). “What’s the stupidest thing Fives ever did? Don’t answer. I don’t want to know. I do want you to know you have out-stupidded Fives.” Rex didn’t tell Cody the time when Fives tried to break into a Seppie droid factory by pretending to be a door-to-door salesman. (And that was the time the men lost their holonet privileges for two whole weeks despite the fact it worked.)


	37. To the Senate Building

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka’s head was throbbing unpleasantly, but she couldn’t bring herself to regret spending last night with Padmé.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is a bit longer than any of the others. I thought since you all had been so wonderful and supportive in your comments, you deserted a bit extra (especially since I kind of ghosted lately). More about clones, a bit more drama. Thank you all so much! Without further ado:

Ahsoka’s head was throbbing unpleasantly, but she couldn’t bring herself to regret spending last night with Padmé. They had a wonderful time just talking about this and that, and it made her feel so much better about everything. Ahsoka decided that she needed to give Rex space for a while (though it hurt to purposely separate herself from him) and then try to talk to him again. (She also decided it might be best to bluntly apologize when she did talk to him next instead of the round-about-go-back-to-situation-normal thing she had failed at, but first, she had to give him some space.)

Getting up, getting dressed (thankfully Padmé had seemingly and thoughtfully put aside another outfit for her, giving her what looked to be like a light blue jumpsuit, not dissimilar to Jedi robes), and going to the breakfast table, Ahsoka saw that Padmé had not left for the day yet and was miraculously still eating breakfast.

“Good morning Padmé,” yawned Ahsoka as she slid into her seat. 

“Morning Ahsoka,” Padmé greeted as she spread butter on a biscuit. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Alright. Thanks, Padmé,” said Ahsoka, piling her plate with meat and fruit before beginning to eat sleepily.

“If you don’t have anything planned today, I need you to come into the Senate building,” spoke up Padmé. “I just received some forms in regards to the trial that need your sign-off before the matter can be officially closed.”

“Really?” asked Ahsoka. “I thought it was over when Anakin barged in with Barriss in cuffs. I mean, I don’t mean to be a bother, but can you deal with it Padmé? I really just want that to be over.” Ahsoka didn’t want to show it, but the whole debacle still bothered her. All she really wanted was for everything to go back to the way it was before the bomb went off, when she didn’t feel betrayed, when she hadn’t single-handedly destroyed her relationship with Rex (whatever it was), but every moment just reminded her on how that was no longer possible. Her old normal was gone, and all she had was her new normal as hard as it was to accept. (She still expected to wake up in her room in the Temple or on the _Resolute_ with all of this a weird dream.)

“Ahsoka,” Padmé said softly. Getting up, she got behind Ahsoka to give her a hug before continuing. “I know that all of this must feel supremely hard, that you’re still getting a hang of this new way of life, and I won’t force you to come to the Senate with me, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to stall on these papers. Part of the process is negotiating with the Republic what a suitable end to this trial is. That includes whether or not to send Barriss to a mental facility or a prison, whether or not you will be able to serve with the clones and in what capacity, and whether or not Admiral Tarkin will be charged in concert with Barriss. If you don’t sign the papers and give your legal intent, you might be forced to accept whatever the Republic decides.”

Ahsoka hugged Padmé’s arms closer to herself as she thought carefully about it all. Shakily, Ahsoka responded, “I, I want, I want to keep serving with the 501st, and I don’t think anyone should be punished for doing their job, but maybe an apology from Tarkin acknowledging his part? And I- I think a mental facility is best for Barriss.” Ahsoka was secretly proud she could still say her traitor’s name. It hurt (and maybe always would) but she could say it without shuddering away from it or stumbling through it.

“Okay, I think that’s fair,” said Padmé. “I’ll try to get the paperwork to sign before I leave, but you might still need to come to the Senate Building for a witnessed signing. Do you want to come with me or do you want me to comm you when I get all the ducks in a row?”

“I’ll come with,” decided Ahsoka. “It might be nice to see what the Senate Building is like recently.” Padmé laughed at the joke, as they both knew very well that the Senate _never_ changed.

“Good! It’ll be nice to have some company. At least until Bail finds out you’re in the building. He’s been meaning to pick your mind about the clone bill he’s working on,” giggled Padmé. With a quick squeeze, Padmé let go of Ahsoka and returned to her seat.

“Clone bill?” questioned Ahsoka. She had learned her lesson about blind faith in the Senate.

“We’re trying to get the clones’ situation for after the war settled with proper care for the younger ones though Bail wants to open the younger boys to adoption. It should cover housing and job training for those who want out, pay for those who want to stay with the military, citizenship for all who serve, as well as a few other concessions,” explained Padmé. Ahsoka blinked. She always knew that there were good people in the Senate (Padmé and Senator Organa were proof of that), but the idea that anyone would sit down and think about the ways the boys might be affected by the aftermath of the war somewhat surprised her. 

The question had always lingered in her mind, but (frankly) none of them ever really thought beyond the next battle. The clones considered it bad luck, and Ahsoka had taken up the superstition after promising to go get chow with a shiny after their first battle. Buffer, the shiny on this particular voyage, had nervously smiled before loading onto the shuttle. They had barely made it out of the ship when the Seppies had fired on them, forcing them to take cover. Buffer had just so happened to have found cover next to Ahsoka when he was hit in the side while returning fire. Ahsoka remembered trying to stop the bleeding while crouched close to a building with her hand, how sickly warm his blood had felt on her hand as she tried calling for a medic in between telling Buffer he was going to be fine. He died holding her hand, and Ahsoka had stopped promising meals with shinies for after battles. (She also had Kix teach her as much field medicine as he was willing to afterward and looked into Force Healing, but only the first one ever became a usable solution.) 

“Oh, okay,” Ahsoka said, still stunned. “Why does he want to talk to me?”

“Well, you know the clones better than anyone else I know. When Bail asked if I knew anyone, I suggested he talk to you. I hope that’s alright. I can comm him before I leave if it’s not,” Padmé commented while watching Ahsoka with an expression between confusion and worry.

“No! No, it’s more than alright. I just hadn’t thought anyone worried about this. The clones don’t really like to think long-term,” replied Ahsoka.

“Because of their low life expectancy,” Padmé said understandingly while giving a slow nod.

“Well, yeah. What’s the point of planning beyond the battle if you’re not gonna make it out the battle,” said Ahsoka. (Fives first told her that saying after she asked what he was going to do after the war. It was something of a clone proverb that had been quoted at her a few different times by different troopers over the years until she learned it. She even caught herself saying it to Anakin and Obi-wan a few times.) Padmé’s eyes flew into shock at Ahsoka’s words.

“Is that an actual saying amongst the clones?” asked Padmé. (It was then that Ahsoka remembered being reprimanded for saying the stupid proverb in front of Obi-wan and Anakin as they were not too happy having to imagine their little padawan dying in battle.)

“Well … yeah. Nothing is guaranteed for them. Some don’t make it out of training or off Kamino, and any battle can be their last, so why bother planning for the future?” argued Ahsoka. It was shocking to her too, but she couldn’t remember being so horrified at the prospect of death on the battlefield. 

“I see … Whenever you’re ready, I’ll have Captain Typho take us,” said Padmé. She then quickly got up and walked to her office to get some work done as she waited for Ahsoka. She didn’t have to wait long as Ahsoka quickly finished eating before brushing her teeth and applying some lipgloss she found in the refresher.

On the way to the Senate Building, they listened to the morning radio where Palpatine had reportedly said something about the war (misreporting of casualties, battles, and plain numbers) that didn’t make sense to Ahsoka. Upon relaying the information to Padmé, she suggested talking to Anakin or Palpatine himself (if they ran into him which was highly likely as she had just gotten a message about their meeting being pushed to right before lunch). As Padmé got to work on the papers for Ahsoka to sign, Ahsoka found a nice quiet place by a window in the next room to mediate.

It felt nice to mediate again (something she hadn’t done since before her arrest). Despite her master’s lack of interest, Ahsoka had always been an avid mediator, liking the feeling of a ‘clean mind’ as she called (because it reminded her a lot of cleaning a room, unpleasant at first but relaxing once it was clean and one could just relax). Methodically, she went through her thoughts and emotions and the events of her life over the last few weeks, placing and rearranging them around so that they made sense. It hurt a bit, but this mental cleaning process dulled the pain, making her soul seem lighter and forgiveness easier to give and receive. It gave her insight into her problems and understanding for others. For one glorious hour, Ahsoka cleaned her mental space. Then, Senator Organa knocked.

“I hope I’m not intruding, but I had heard Tano was here. I had hoped to talk to her,” he said to Padmé, ever polite and princely.

“Yes, she’s here, but she’s meditating. Let me check if she’s willing to see you,” replied Padmé, getting up from her desk as Ahsoka walked in.

“It’s alright Padmé. I’m here. I was told you wanted to talk to me about your new clone bill,” said Ahsoka, hanging by the door.

“Yes, perhaps we sit and talk for a moment? It would allow both us and Senator Amidala to focus on our work,” said the Alderaanian senator, gesturing to the room Ahsoka just left to greet him.

“Sure,” she replied with little care before turning around and going back into the room she had vacated previously. The male senator followed her and closed the door, but only partway.

“I hope you don’t mind,” he said. “I’ve found in the duration of my service on Coruscant, many people are willing to lie and cheat to get ahead, so I always keep the door partially open when speaking to someone, especially someone so young, alone.” Ahsoka quickly caught on and nodded her compliance. “Thank you. Now, I’ll be honest in saying I’m not sure what to call you at the moment.”

“Just Ahsoka will be fine,” she said plainly. Bail smiled, and Ahsoka could feel his Alderaanian charms working on her. She smiled back. “Tell me what you need from me.”

“Well, I’m hoping you could tell me some of the clones’ worries and concerns so that I could address them in the bill,” said Bail. “The clones do so much for the Republic, and I’m not a big fan of how they are treated.”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” she replied honestly. “The clones don’t really think beyond the war or the next battle. If you ask them, they might just brush it off or say they don’t think about it. There’s this saying that what’s the point of planning beyond the battle if you’re not gonna make it out the battle, and that’s pretty much the attitude for the clones. Now, if you were talking about some extra privileges or something like that, they might be interested, but it kind of all depends. You have to keep in mind that battalions differ greatly between each other. Like the 501st is really intense and danger-prone while the 212th is more reserved and well thought-out in planning and the 104th is very aggressive and quick on their feet, and that’s not just their fighting style. The major problems clone face is actually their superiors more often than not. I never saw it, but I know of a lot of clones who served under less than stellar generals or admirals, people who saw them as little more than flesh-droids. It doesn’t help that the highest they can ever get is commander, especially when I got that rank solely for my Jedi status.” The entire time Ahsoka spoke on the clones, Bail listened intently and even took notes on a small pad he had in his pocket.

“I see. Is there anything else?” questioned the senator, still writing the last of Ahsoka’s points about rank.

“Honestly, you might want to talk to some of the big brothers in the battalions,” replied Ahsoka with a contemplative look.

“I’m sorry, big brothers?” asked Bailed. He had paused in his note-taking to look at Ahsoka for an answer.

“A big brother is someone who is older or more experienced or who takes charge in a situation. It doesn’t necessarily mean someone who is higher ranked, though clones tend to not care about that among themselves, but it happens. Basically, it’s someone who cares about you and takes care of you, someone you can go to with problems and find solutions. Usually, that’s your commanding officer, but for those times when you don’t want your CO finding out, you find a different big brother and take it from there,” explained Ahsoka.

“Much like regular big brothers,” laughed Bail.

“I guess so,” laughed Ahsoka, thinking of Anakin. She and her master had a very close relationship, especially for people pushed together. In a way, she always thought of Anakin as _her_ big brother (though Echo and Kix always helped where they could and could technically be called her big brothers).

“Could you suggest anyone?” asked Bail, getting ready to write down anyone she thought of.

“Hmm … Rex, Jesse, and Kix from the 501st. Cody and Boil from the 212th. Bly for sure from the 327th. Boost and Sinker from the 104th. I’m not real sure about the Coruscant guard, but if you ask them who is the big brother to go to, I’m sure they’d get it. Is that good?” responded Ahsoka, getting up from where she had sat on one of the couches available.

“That’s excellent! You’ve really helped me with this. It’ll be wonderful to get the clones’ thoughts on this. Thank you very much, Ahsoka,” praised the senator as he also got up and made for the door.

“It’s not a big deal,” she promised. “I’m happy to help anyone way I can.”

“Ah, Miss Tano. I see your meeting with Senator Organa has ended. Might I have a word?” asked a new harsh and strict voice. Looking up, Ahsoka saw a man in a crisp and immaculate-looking military suit with a stern look on his face. Last time she had seen him, he had been arguing for the harshest punishment to laid on her for a crime she didn’t commit.

There, in the center of Padmé’s office was Admiral Tarkin himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to leave a comment about how you liked (or didn't like) this chapter, PLEASE DO!!!!!!!!!!! I love your comments, and they really help in forming the plot at times.


	38. Tarkin Speaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tarkin had come into Senator Amidala’s office...

Tarkin had come into Senator Amidala’s office initially to sign some forms and to push for her signature as well, but, upon learning Ahsoka Tano was in the office as well, he decided to wait for her little meeting with Senator Organa (whatever it could be about). Looking around, he found the office to be professional, organized, yet with a soft quality. He didn’t know why, but he had expected something more from the woman with her reputation. Perhaps it was the pictures of her more humanitarian efforts that disappointed him, but whatever it was, Tarkin deemed the room to be a symbolic representation of Amidala’s ultimate failure as a leader: her weak bleeding heart.

As Tarkin sat in the room with Amidala, watching her read over the forms quickly but intently, he nearly rolled his eyes when she smiled and finally signed. He understood the precaution, of course, but couldn’t help being annoyed at her presumption she could stop the paperwork already set up by the Republic. He had already heard word of Tano’s ‘restitution’ (something he found so utterly ridiculous but kept his mouth shut in hopes of simply getting it over with) and wondered what the girl could possibly ask for. He would have asked for his job (understandable given the outcome though a bit short-sighted in his opinion), but knowing Tano’s leaning towards compassion, Tarkin figured she would ask to remain with her troops and fair pay.

Now, some might ask why Tarkin would force himself to interact with these people unnecessarily, to which he would reply it is necessary. While the doom of the Chancellor was not yet set in stone, he would have to start creating space and to diversify his alliances if he was to weather the storm. That’s what he was doing in Amidala’s suite: he was laying the groundwork necessary to form a small alliance and friendship with this coalition. Considering that if his estimation was correct, either Senator Amidala, Mothma, or Organa would take the helm of Chancellor next (most likely Organa, as Mothma was still a bit young to the political process of the Senate and Amidala had established a reputation of being unwilling to abide anything less than the self-sacrificing practice of civil service). Therefore, if he had any chance of advancing his interests as a military man and his family’s interests as a major political player in the Outer Rim, he had to play nice with Amidala and her crew, which meant making at least superficial amends with the ex-padawan.

So, there he was when he saw Tano and Organa enter the room. He spoke up. “Ah, Miss Tano. I see your meeting with Senator Organa has ended. Might I have a word?”

Immediately shock pasted over both their faces though Organa quickly became suspicious and guarded with a slight undercurrent of anger if one looked carefully enough. Amidala was watching on (as he knew she would), just waiting for a sign that Tano was uncomfortable or wanted him gone. Organa he could tell was preparing a defense for Tano, so he acted quickly.

“It would only be for a moment, and I have no objections to an audience,” he added, and yes, he _would_ prefer to not humble himself in front of others, but he was unlikely to be left alone with the child and it might even bolster their perception of him if they witnessed his apology. “You see, I have been meaning to apologize for my part in your near-demise and to ask you to not let this … unfortunate mishap to stop you from resuming your command.” The words felt like acid in his throat, but it had to be done, and it was not as if the girl was completely incompetent. Honestly, her relationship with her men was something to be admired if only so it meant their success as a unit continued to exceed beyond expectations. She showed almost as much promise as Skywalker, and, who knew, maybe time away from the Jedi would open her eyes to logic and to what had to be done.

Tano hid her surprise well, Tarkin thought, as she began to respond. “Thank you, Admiral. I appreciate the sentiment. I hope to rejoin my men in their next campaign.”

“Very well,” said Tarkin, as he continued his part in this public politically charged dance, “I wish you and your men a successful campaign. If there is anything I can do to help, please do not hesitate to ask. As I have said all I wished to, I will take my leave. Commander Tano. Senators.” Tarkin barely waited for their returned goodbyes before quickly turning around and exiting Amidala’s office. The humbling he received was not the worst he had, and for that he was grateful. Several of his teachers from his Academy days had relished in taking a young Tarkin down a peg for even the smallest offenses (though Tarkin thought that it was for his benefit in the long run), but Tano didn’t have the cruel streak his teachers had and didn’t revel in others’ humiliation. 

It was then that Tarkin realized that the little commander had earned his begrudging respect. He smirked in amusement and wondered if she was even aware of the power within her little hands.


	39. Meeting with the Chancellor

Walking to the Chancellor’s office, Padmé was just tired. It seemed like every time she had to deal with Palpatine, more and more of the kind grandfatherly mentor she knew as the Queen of Naboo disappeared. Part of her wondered if he ever existed. It wasn’t anything he _did_ per se, just little things here and there. A weird facial expression, a choice that didn’t make sense (but ultimately seemingly harmless), a sentence here or there that just rubbed her the wrong way. She hadn’t told Anakin about these times because she knew he would just try to downplay her thoughts on the matter. (She loved her husband, but sometimes he could get on her last nerve.)

So, here she is with Bail and Ahsoka by her side. (She had asked if they would like to accompany her given the topic, and they both said yes. Ahsoka went because she had nothing better to do, but Padmé had a sneaking suspicion that Bail came because he got the same vibes from Palpatine she herself got.) They sat outside the office, waiting to be allowed in to discuss what Palpatine wanted to talk about. Making some small talk with the receptionist and then talking with Bail and Ahsoka about maybe getting lunch together afterward, Padmé tried to calm herself from her slight anxiety as they waited.

Finally, the man in question made a show of opening the door and apologizing for the wait as representatives of this or that group left looking dignified yet decidedly annoyed. Padmé thought she recognized one of them and made a mental note to find out who they were. As Palpatine ushered them in and offered them some light refreshments in the way of glasses of water, Padmé couldn’t help but notice he seemed a bit annoyed that both Ahsoka and Bail were there with her. Soon, they were all settled around the Chancellor’s desk, and Palpatine started to speak.

“First things first,” he said, turning his gaze to Ahsoka. (Padmé tried and only barely succeeded in preventing her body from tensing.) “I’m so sorry for your treatment in the whole Temple bombing debacle. I can only speak for the Republic, and I’m sure either Master Yoda or Master Windu have their own words of apology, but I’m very sorry for what you went through. If there is anything I can do to make up for it, please don’t hesitate in reaching out, my dear.” His tone was grieving, but Padmé noticed the way annoyance colored his entire being though it was not obvious to newer acquaintances.

“Thank you, Chancellor. Your words so much,” answered Ahsoka dutifully. Her expression seemed schooled, and Padmé was a bit proud at how well she held herself in the presence of someone who had not even a week ago almost sentenced her to death.

“Good, good,” Palpatine cooed before switching to the two senators sat before him. “Am I allowed to ask about the details concerning your new bill?” he asked conspiratorily. Padmé almost rolled her eyes and could see Bail’s fists tighten.

“I’m not comfortable with it yet,” responded Bail with his best political smile. “There is still much to research and determine before a draft can be written.” Padmé nearly smiled at the small lie Bail let out so easily. Bail was a good player in politics, no one would argue against that. He was good-natured, easily well-liked and respected, and frequently kept his cards close to his chest. He wasn’t as flashy as some of the other senators or outspoken, but that worked to his advantage. His position was clear but malleable, so he put most at ease, and Padmé was sure that Bail would become Chancellor at some point if he kept it up in politics.

“That’s too bad, but the issue you are tackling is quite important, and the Republic can’t afford for it to be bungled. Thankfully, it’s in good hands,” Palpatine crooned, and Padmé was suddenly reminded of a preening bird. “Well, I think that’s all I wanted to touch base on, so if you don’t have anything to add or lunch plans, I would like to invite you all to take lunch with me. It seems like the longest time since I’ve caught up with all of you.”

“Unfortunately, Chancellor, we do have lunch plans. Perhaps a rain check?” Padmé suggested. Ahsoka and Bail got up with her, as Palpatine tried his tired old grandfatherly response.

“Of course, I understand my dear. Next time then.” They all smiled at each other, but as her little group left, Bail intentionally hovered closer to herself and Ahsoka, almost to put himself in between Palpatine and themselves. It was a small but appreciated gesture. Now, Padmé knew it wasn’t just her that started to mistrust the man, but also the level-headed and logical Bail Organa. Now all Padmé had to do was talk to her husband about the situation and figure out what to do next.


	40. Rex's Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex was nervous, starring at the apology before him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, it's official. This story is now a series. To be fair, it's just this story and related one-shots, so... Anyway, if you would like a one-shot related to the story (or even unrelated) please leave down in the comments (preferable under the chapter you would like the one-shot from). This is not a promise for a one-shot, but if I do choose to write for your prompt, I'll respond to the comment. (Note: if I approve your comment but don't respond in the affirmative, that is a pass on my part and I will not write the requested one-shot.) A lot of whether or not I write for your prompt is time. This story takes precedence as I started it first though I'm open to writing one-shots if and when I have time and the inspiration.

Rex was nervous, starring at the apology before him. Cody had helped him to write it and convinced him to memorize it and recite it to Ahsoka. He had said it might mean more if Rex told her face to face instead of sending her a letter (to which Rex agreed). However, there was one slight hiccup in the plan: Rex had to get Ahsoka to stand there and listen to him while he gave his little speech. So Rex had comm’ed Ahsoka, requesting she meet him in his office in about an hour. Deciding to go over his speech until she got there, Rex became more and more sure of his speech (though no amount of certainty in his speech could convince him she would actually come).

So Rex waited. Recited his speech to the walls again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

On a whim, he decided to check the time, and his heart shattered. He had practiced and practiced and practiced his apology for no reason. Ahsoka was over an hour late. It seemed she was not coming. He slowly sat down and considered his carefully written and proof-read apology, full of heart-felt grief and aching pain at his own actions and explanations, before sending it summarily to the trash. He tidied up his office, finished his work, then gathered his things before going to the training room. 

He had made a decision: Ahsoka had decided not to speak to him, but he would always be there for her. He would protect her as best he could and wait for her to give a sign she was ready to speak to him again and then _and only then_ would he even bother to presume to waste her time with an apology.

Rex spent the rest of the day (and most of the leave) teaching shinies what it meant to tangle with a clone trained by Jango himself. Taking on all newcomers in a totally unprecedented change in mood, Rex soon became respected by older brothers and hero-worshipped and slightly feared by shinies as competitor after competitor lost to the man. Even Wolffe was impressed though Cody only watched on in worry and slight panic as his little brother lash out from his pain. 

(Later, when Rex looked back at this point in his life, he would feel incredibly stupid for not considering that Ahsoka had yet to get her comm back.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, this chapter hurts even me and I wrote the damn thing. Two more chapters today to follow. Keep your eyes peeled.


	41. Conspiracy in Amidala's Apartment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin was … as well as come be imagined for one in his situation.

Anakin was … as well as come be imagined for one in his situation. Despite the sting he still felt at the Chancellor’s betrayal, he and Obi-wan had spent days secretly discussing what they would need to take down the Sith Lord. The came up with a list that was as follows: a small coalition of senators to slowly chip at Palpatine’s power in the Senate, as large as possible a following of clone troopers to back them when the time came, and a select group of people who knew the details and ongoings of this entire operation who could mobilize the Senate, the Jedi, and the GAR at a moment’s notice. To this end, Obi-wan and Anakin agreed that they needed to bring Ahsoka, Padmé, Bail, Cody, and Rex into the inner circle so that the plan went off without a hitch. They also agreed that, while Cody and Rex should be told together and Ahsoka and Padmé should be, it might be for the best that not everyone knew who was in the inner circle (at least until they could ensure Palpatine didn’t have some way of watching them). It had been two weeks since Ahsoka’s party, and they were shipping out in a few days.

That night, Anakin would go and spend the night with Padmé (as per usual his nights on Coruscant) while Obi-wan would spend the night in the barracks to help with coordinating for the campaign the next morning. Both were ruses. Anakin _would_ spend the night with Padmé, and Obi-wan _would_ spend the night at the barracks, but both would be using that time to tell their people about the phantom menace.

On his way to Padmé’s apartment, he went over in his head what he would tell her and Snips and maybe Organa if they could sneak him into the apartment long enough. To say he was worried about how Padmé would take it would be an understatement. For Anakin, he was a father figure, but at least he had Obi-wan to support him. Padmé’s relationship with Palpatine had always been like a mentor and his student. How would she react to the man who helped bolster her political career being a Sith Lord of all things?

He sighed as he pulled over into the small docking area attached to the apartment. Walking slowly into the apartment, he saw that Padmé and Ahsoka were talking very seriously with Organa about something. He couldn’t see Bail’s face, but Ahsoka looked like she was on high-alert, and Padmé looked worried. That’s when she looked up and saw him. Her expression changed immediately to all smiles.

“Master Skywalker,” she called. She got up to pour him a glass of what he assumed to be Jogun juice. “What a surprise! If you’re here to visit with -” 

“Padmé,” Anakin simply said. His tone must have shown how serious he was because Padmé stopped pouring to slowly look at him before going to sit back down next to Ahsoka.

Bail took this opportunity to start to stand up. “Should I leave?” asked Bail. (Truth be told, he had always purposely remained ignorant of the relationship between Padmé and the Jedi before him. It didn’t hurt anyone, and it wasn’t any of his business so long as they were both happy and safe.)

“No, it would be better if you stayed for a minute,” Anakin responded gravely. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bug disruptor he had fashioned earlier in the day. It wouldn’t give him much time, but it would be just enough to say what needed to be said. Turning it on (which emitted a small sort of buzzing noise), Anakin asked that they didn’t ask questions until he was done and not to talk after the buzzing stopped. Quickly, he brought out the proof of the Chancellor contacting Count Dooku and showed it to them all. “Palpatine is a Sith Lord.”

He expected them to be surprised, but not like this. Ahsoka looked sad while Padmé and Bail shared a look. 

“I hate to say it,” started Bail, “but it makes sense. The Chancellor has been less than cautious in his grab for power lately.”

Padmé nodded in agreement. “I know what you mean. I’ve had my own suspicions for a while now, especially after that meeting a week ago.”

“Meeting? What meeting?” asked Anakin. The idea of Padmé being near that man made him feel sick.

“A week ago, he requested a meeting with me. I invited Bail and Ahsoka to come with me. It was short, like he was just checking in on me, but the timing felt weird and he just came off as … probing, like he was looking for something,” Padmé replied. (The whole meeting had slightly disturbed the group, and they had talked about it over lunch that day. None could determine what the Chancellor was after, but, needless to say, they agreed not to see him individually.)

“That’s … alarming,” Anakin finally said. He knew that Palpatine had been gaining power in the Senate, had been since the beginning of the Clone Wars, but now that he wasn’t even trying to hide his moves to gain power, it meant that he felt secure enough in his position and the public favor to ignore the actual Senate. If he really was that secure, their plan would need to kick into high gear.

“Master, who all knows?” asked Ahsoka. Her expression broke his heart. She looked so hopeless, like someone had stolen the light in her life.

“Commander Fox told me, and I’ve told Obi-wan,” Anakin said. “Commander Fox will continue to gather evidence against Palpatine and try to find co-conspirators while Obi-wan works on bringing the Order up to speed. In the meantime, Obi-wan and I think it’s best we keep the circle small. It’s okay to bring people in to stand against Palpatine, but under no circumstances should you tell anyone what you know, and it would be best if you didn’t know who all else knows.” He knew Ahsoka and Padmé wouldn’t like that last measure, but it was just in case someone somehow got compromised. They couldn’t risk a stumble when Palpatine was so far ahead in the game.

“But-” Ahsoka started to protest when Padmé put a hand on her shoulder. The buzzing had stopped.

Thankfully, Bail jumped on it as a soldier would. “The bill will continue to be worked on as we just discussed. I think it’s the best course of action at the present moment,” he said with conviction, and Anakin was grateful to have the senator on his side.

“I agree with Senator Organa,” Padmé said primly. “I’m sorry Ahsoka but I don’t think we should risk it.”

“Can I at least tell Rex?” Ahsoka asked in a small voice. Anakin was reminded of the little snippy yet insecure youngling that waltzed into his life on Christophsis.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea Snips,” he sadly replied. She nodded her head, but Anakin could tell it hurt her not to tell him and nearly went back on his word. The two still had not fixed their relationship since their fight before the party (adding to Anakin’s personal stress as he debated whether or not to intervene). As the time for disembarking approached, Anakin became more and more worried about their friendship and how their change in dynamics would affect the rest of the men and the effectiveness in battle overall. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m going to go home and get some sleep. Considering the work we have to do in the days to come, I suggest you all follow my example,” Bail said. He then got up and exited the apartment for the night. The others followed suit with Anakin loitering in the living room to see where the surveillance bugs were located and found five in that room allow. He sighed and decided to simply make a note of the bugs as he found them but not disturb them in case it tipped off Palpatine. Instead, he decided to make a jammer for the apartment in the morning which could be turned on and off when needed.

Heading to bed with his wife, Padmé seemed to already be asleep, but when he lied down, she quickly cuddled into him.

“Ani, I’m scared,” she admitted in a whisper. Anakin didn’t want to admit the same so he just rubbed her back in soothing motions until she fell asleep.


	42. The Most Important Meal of the Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka debated whether or not she actually wanted to get out of bed the first day of the campaign.

Ahsoka debated whether or not she actually wanted to get out of bed the first day of the campaign. Ever since Anakin had revealed that Palpatine was a Sith Lord a week ago, it felt as if a small gray storm cloud was forming above her getting bigger and bigger, causing her limbs to feel heavier and the colors around her to dull. 

Ahsoka’s problem with the Chancellor being the Sith Lord had less to do with her perception of him and more to do with the betrayal aspect. It felt like everything she ever accomplished was thrown back in her face like it didn’t matter, so all her sacrifices or triumphs meant nothing. She also came to know that every man she had ever lost, every single one, was just an insignificant chess piece in Palpatine’s game and every man she had was a waiting casualty in Palpatine’s game. Ahsoka had never felt so defeated, especially since there was nothing she could do to stop the slaughter.

It didn’t help that Rex had yet to reach out which hurt more and more each day (though part of her was glad she didn’t have to lie about Palpatine to his face). She wished she could be more help. While Padmé and Bail gained allies in the Senate, Anakin had asked to simply keep a low profile for now as she couldn’t investigate the Chancellor now that she was only a GAR Commander. Ahsoka sighed and turned over in her bed, looking up at the ceiling in thought.

A knock at the door sounded before she heard Anakin on the other side of the door. “Snips? Are you getting ready? We have to be at the _Resolute_ soon,” he called softly.

“Come in,” she simply responded, not bothering to move until Anakin had entered the room and knelt down by the bed.

“Snips, are you packed?” he asked gently, taking one of her hand and massaging it soothingly.

“Padmé packed most of my stuff last night. I just have to throw in some last-minute toiletries,” Ahsoka answered. Padmé had come in last night and indeed packed for Ahsoka, clothes in 501st colors made from Karlini silk mostly, but that was only because Ahsoka barely moved since finding out about the Chancellor. 

“Okay. Do you want some breakfast?” asked Anakin. Ahsoka just shrugged her shoulders noncommittally, and Anakin sighed. “Ahsoka, please? For me?” Ahsoka sighed and sat up in bed, making Anakin smile. “That’s my girl. Finish getting ready while I get your breakfast going, and we’ll leave after you eat, okay?” Ahsoka nodded, and Anakin left the room for Ahsoka to get ready. As she got ready Ahsoka noticed her skin had dulled and her stripes had darkened. Sighing, she decided to look for the makeup Padmé’s handmaids had shown her how to apply to hide her feelings in front of the boys. She didn’t think she would need it all that much, but she packed it along with her other toiletries just in case. 

Taking her bag to the kitchen, she didn’t miss the looks exchanged between Padmé and Anakin upon her entrance but decided to ignore it anyway. “I’m ready to leave after breakfast,” she said instead as she sat at the table. Quickly afterward, Anakin put a plate of assorted breakfast meats with eggs and fruit on the side. Ahsoka smiled in thanks (or at least hoped she did).

“I’m sending you with some cookies for the men. Hope you don’t mind,” Padmé spoke up. Ahsoka looked next to her and felt her eyes widened. ‘Some cookies’ apparently meant ‘enough cookies to give the entire 501st and 212th diabetes.’

“I’m sure the boys will appreciate it,” said Ahsoka. She turned her attention to her plate. She didn’t really feel like eating, but she had people to appease, so she simply ate about half and rearranged what she couldn’t fit in her stomach. “I’m ready.”

“No Ahsoka,” said Anakin, and both she and Padmé looked at him, her in surprise and Padmé in slight anxiety. “Finish it. You’ve barely eaten these last couple of days.”

“I’m not hungry,” Ahsoka said stubbornly. She didn’t really want to fight Anakin on this, but she really didn’t think she could suffer another bite without having to toss her entire breakfast.

“Why don’t I pack it up and she can eat it later? It really doesn’t make sense to force her to eat,” Padmé stepped in, quickly grabbing the plate and forcing the food into a little food container.

“Fine, but this isn’t over Ahsoka. I don’t want to have to issue a command on mealtimes, but I will if I think you’re not eating,” said Anakin. Something in his response ticked off Ahsoka. She couldn’t put her finger on it. Maybe it was his patronizing tone or his slightly controlling behavior, but Ahsoka suddenly slammed her palms on Padmé’s table.

“You’re not my master anymore, and it’s not like I’m purposefully starving myself. I’m just not hungry,” Ahsoka exploded. She glared at Anakin as Padmé quickly looked between the two of them, trying to find the words to diffuse the situation.

Surprisingly, Anakin remained calm. “Ahsoka, I know I’m not your master anymore, but I still want the best for you, and the best for you is to maintain a healthy body weight by eating regularly. Ever since we discussed the bill, you have been skipping meals and it shows. Your coloring is off, you’ve lost weight, and you just don’t have any energy anymore. And you’re hurting more than just yourself. Consider what happens if you can’t keep up in a battle or just the stress the men will be under knowing you’re not at your best. I know I’m going to worry.” He sighed before approaching Ahsoka. She pointedly looked at her knees under the table. “Ahsoka, I know you’ve been through a lot and that you’re still going through a lot, but you have to eat.”

“It’s not even that big a deal,” protested Ahsoka. “I haven’t even missed that many meals.”

“You’ve missed more than half since we discussed the bill, and you know it,” insisted Anakin. “Ahsoka, I know you’re hurting. I’m not asking that you ignore that. I’m asking that you try, even if it’s just this little bit for now.” Ahsoka started to feel guilty for a few different reasons. First, because Anakin was right. Second, because Anakin sounded close to tears.

Eventually, she quietly replied, “Okay.”

“Okay,” Anakin said back. “I’m going to load up the speeder. Why don’t you say your goodbyes-for-now to Padmé.” Ahsoka actually smiled at that. It was a little tradition between Padmé and Anakin to say ‘goodbyes-for-now’ whenever they parted to reassure the other that they would return. Upon meeting Padmé and getting to know her, they invited her into this little tradition. Ahsoka didn’t even remember when exactly it happened. She just picked it up and they both seemed exceedingly pleased, so they just continued.

“Ahsoka,” said Padmé as she came up to the young woman, arms wide open for a hug. “Be careful. I don’t want to lose my roommate.”

“I’m be safe as I can with Anakin around,” snipped Ahsoka, getting up to hug the older woman.

“It’s not Anakin I’m worried about. You tell those men to remember that you’re _my_ roommate,” teased Padmé. (And yes, she was _very_ when Ahsoka gave a small laugh. Thank you very much.)

“Okay. See you again,” Ahsoka recited, still snug in her hug with Padmé.

“See you again too,” Padmé said back. Pulling back, Ahsoka could see the formation of tears in Padmé’s eyes, but the other woman quickly blinked them away, so Ahsoka didn’t say anything. It was then that Anakin came in. 

“I’ll be in the speeder,” said Ahsoka as she made her way to the docking area as to give the married couple their space as they said their goodbyes-for-now. Anakin followed soon (but not too soon) afterward with a bittersweet smile on his face.

“Okay Snips, time to go kick Separatist butt. Hopefully, we’ll leave some work for Obi-wan to do while we look awesome,” he joked as he got behind the wheel.

“I’ll settle for not crashing this time around,” Ahsoka returned. Anakin shot her a look as he dodged through traffic.

“Seriously, how are you feeling about this campaign?” asked Anakin. “You know, if it ever gets to be too much, you can tell me, and I’ll figure out something.”

“I know, Skyguy, I know,” Ahsoka replied. Suddenly, the grey cloud didn’t feel so big nor her limbs so heavy.


	43. Atonement Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barriss woke up in handcuffed in a transport surrounded by troopers.

Barriss woke up in handcuffed in a transport surrounded by troopers. Her hands were chained to the armrests on her chair, and her feet had been secured to the support of the chair. Around her waist was a tight metal belt that tied her to the chair and restricted her movement to her knees, shoulders, neck, back, and head but even that wasn’t much.

“What’s going on?” she asked, looking at the troopers around her. They all acted as if she had not spoken. “What’s going on?” she repeated louder and more agitated. 

“You’re being moved to a more … suitable facility,” Commander Fox spoke up as he walked into the transport. “The tranquilizer was supposed to work until we got you to your new cell. Do we have to give you another one or are you going to be a good inmate?”

Barriss considered the commander for a moment. He gave nothing away, but Barriss could see the anger and pain she caused with the death of his men bubble underneath the surface. “No,” she decided, “you won’t have to give me another tranquilizer.”

“Good. Stay quiet and don’t give my men any more trouble,” he replied. He nodded at someone off to the side then turned to leave.

“I’m sorry for what it’s worth,” she called after him. He didn’t even turn around to face her.

“It’s not worth anything,” he said to her. “Get moving, Corporal. They’ll be expecting you.” The corporal flying the transport nodded at Fox as he left the transport. Soon, the transport got moving, and Barriss decided to get some sleep as she was still a bit drowsy from the tranquilizer. She was awoken by something rocking the transport.

Having been in enough firefights to recognize one, she tried to stay as still and calm as possible. “Who’s shooting at us?” she asked, not really expecting an answer which didn’t come. The transport rocks more as it suddenly takes a dive. The smell of smoke charged the air, and Barriss realized they were crashing. Because she was tied down in a chair, Barriss would be fine, and it didn’t seem like the tranquilizer hindered her Force abilities, so she tried to keep the troopers from hurting themselves as she braced for impact.

Despite her best efforts at buffering the impact’s effects, the impact still shook the entire cabin and all in it. Barriss felt her head bash against the wall and something trickle slowly down her neck. For a few minutes, her mind swam as she tried to see straight. She heard the door open and a series of small swishing sounds. Feeling her restraints unlock, Barriss felt her body be lifted over someone’s shoulder. Looking up, she saw the troopers slumped over in the transport through spots of shadows in her sight. Had she not been able to feel their presence, she might have thought they were dead. Her head became heavier and heavier as her eyesight became increasingly blurry before she slipped into unconsciousness.

She continued to slip in and out of consciousness for a while before finally waking up in a bed in a nice and somewhat spacious but completely unfamiliar room. Reaching up, she felt a bacta patch had been applied to the back of her head. Her head felt fuzzy but clearer than it had been, and she was slightly relieved. 

Deciding that she had better find out who had gone to the trouble of kidnapping her from Republic custody, she got up and made her way to the door. Outside, she found a large and tall hallway, several doors long, stretching in both directions. Following the Force, she decided to go left and down the hallway and stumbled upon a large library. 

The library took up two stories, with small balconies on either side accessed by stairs. Bookshelves were built into the walls and were filled from top to bottom with books of various subjects. The far wall was made up of glass looking out on a garden far below with a giant fireplace in the middle. While there were a couple of tables laid out in the front, the rear was mostly free with what Barriss judged to be a mediation space off to the side. The overall color of the room was a dark brown of polished and well-oiled wood, but light streamed in from the windows and Barriss could see small lights installed over the bookshelves to allow for people to see what the bookshelves held.

“Ah, young Barriss, you’re awake,” spoke a tired yet dignified voice. Barriss turned around, and she thought she must be suffering from a concussion because she surely couldn’t be seeing who she thought she was. The figure before her was remarkably graceful and beautiful for a supposed corpse. The woman before her was the rumored dead Duchess of Mandalore, Satine Kryze. “Please take a seat. I’ve been asked by our ‘host’ that I explain some things to you before you meet him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for staying with me thus far! You all are wonderful!. I know (because I read your comments) that many of you are rearing and ready for all the Rexsoka mushy stuff (which _is_ coming but not for awhile), so I thought I'd give a small update. My plan thus far is to continue writing as I have, trying to post at least every other day or thrice weekly with additional chapters when I have them. (Feel free to comment on where's the next chapter if I don't stick to this. Lol.) Unfortunately for our main ship, we still have some angst pining and maybe some more drunken exploits before they come back together, and a bit more afterward before their relationship takes a romantic turn. (I didn't mean for it to but I think this story has become a slow-burn.) Once again, if you want a one-shot to hold you over, please comment on the chapter which contains the backstory you want the one-shot for. Please also comment for any other reason. You see, comments are to the soul what coffee is on an all-nighter before a major paper is due.


	44. Loading Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cody stuck to his general’s side all throughout the loading process.

Cody stuck to his general’s side all throughout the loading process. It wasn’t totally unusual that Cody stayed with Obi-wan, but most could tell the man was on high alert. Obi-wan had told him to calm down at multiple points and even tried to get him to go take a walk since Cody’s mood was starting to affect his own. 

Obi-wan didn’t blame the man for being a little keyed up. He had just told him about Palpatine the night before and hadn’t handled it very well to put it lightly. While Rex seemed to retreat into his own mind, Cody raged and seethed over a Sith Lord in the Republic’s highest office, over the need for secrecy in regards to compartmentalizing duties and intel, over not ‘just shooting the bastard and get it over with.’ Honestly, Cody did everything Obi-wan wanted to do, but Obi-wan calmed him down and convinced him to go along with the plan.

“Cody, could you _please_ relax?” whispered Obi-wan to his second-in-command. “The idea is to go on as normal until we can act. If you are constantly high-strung and hyper-aware, you could tip someone off.” Obi-wan tried to make it look like a normal side conversation between the two men. 

“Like you’re one to talk. You keep checking your comm to see if Skywalker tried to contact you,” Cody snapped back. Obi-wan bit back a sigh, mostly because Cody was right. 

“Fine, we both need to relax. Why don’t you double-check the medical supplies?” suggested Obi-wan before Cody huffed off. Obi-wan could tell this campaign was going to be a bigger pain if he didn’t get Cody to ease up, so he decided to talk to him later. Seeing Rex over by the crates containing the ration bars the Republic tried to pass off as food (Obi-wan had thrown an absolute fit at the ration bars and the men were taught how to get food when on campaign which they still did even when the higher-ups tried to force the rations), Obi-wan went to check on him.

“Ah, Captain, how fares the rations?” joked Obi-wan in greeting. He almost instantly regretted it as soon as he got a look at the man’s face. Red eyes and deep and heavy bags under his eyes did nothing to prepare anyone for the lost and vacant look in his eyes.

“The rations are all accounted for sir,” Rex responded plainly. He stood like someone had just dropped the sky on his shoulders, and Obi-wan wanted nothing more than take the sky back.

“Rex, are you alright?” asked Obi-wan in a lowered tone, taking a step closer and putting his hand on the man’s shoulder.

“Perfectly, General,” Rex replied. Obi-wan watched as Rex tried to straighten his stance into a proper stance for a soldier and felt his heart break a bit for this man who had done so much for his little lineage.

Sighing again, Obi-wan spoke again in a tone which brokered no argument. “Captain, you look dead on your feet. Go get some rest. I’ll let anyone looking for you know where you are.” Obi-wan half-expected an argument, but Rex just paused for a second before nodding numbly and slowly made for his beloved bunk. Watching the man, Obi-wan felt like everything was slowly falling apart. First came the bombing, then Ahsoka’s arrest and trial, then her disappearance, and now a Sith Lord. One more thing and Obi-wan would be convinced that the Force was just some sadistic asshole playing with his family like children’s toys.

Turning back to the business at hand, Obi-wan continued to oversee the loading of the ships until Anakin and Ahsoka joined him. He smiled at them though he made a mental note to ask Anakin if Ahsoka was eating. 

“Ah, there you two are. We’re almost finished here,” he greeted warmly. It was true too. They only had to go over the manifests once more and make sure they had everything and then they would be on their way as soon as they were cleared.

“In that case, why don’t we go to your room and get a bit of tea?” asked Anakin lightheartedly though purposely. Understanding exactly what he was saying, Obi-wan agreed enthusiastically and guided them to his room on the _Negiotator_. 

Once in his room, he began to make tea while Anakin discreetly checked for bugs. Funnily enough, there were none present in his room, and Obi-wan wasn’t sure if he should be insulted or grateful.

“I take it you have informed Ahsoka and the senators?” asked Obi-wan as he added a few tablespoons full of sugar in Anakin’s cup.

“Yeah, the senators weren’t nearly as surprised as they should have been. He’s been bold in gaining power,” replied Anakin. He leaned against the counter next to Obi-wan in an effort to keep his voice down. (Just because there weren’t any bugs, didn’t mean there weren’t any spies.) 

“He also asked for a meeting with Padmé which she invited me and Senator Organa. I got the distinct feeling we were not welcomed,” spoke up Ahsoka. Ahsoka had opted for a seat on the floor at the small table next to the wall where one _could_ sit three if the three either had no personal boundaries or three-year-olds.

“I see,” murmured Obi-wan as he finished the tea and brought it to the small table. “Our next step regardless is to get more allies.”

“Agreed,” said Anakin as he took the final seat. It was a bit cramped, but as they were only drinking tea, they made it work. “Question is who. We have to make sure of their loyalties before showing our hand. If not, we could tip him off.”

“Also agreed,” said Ahsoka. She looked intently at her tea before looking up and said, “What about the other Jedi?”

“We can’t get the Council involved,” insisted Obi-wan. “They’re being impatient and rash lately. They can’t be trusted not to head in lightsabers ablaze consequences be damned.” Obi-wan had begun to think they couldn’t be trusted at all and was honestly surprised that Ahsoka had suggested them. If Anakin agreed with her, he was taking a long walk out of a short airlock.

“Not the Council,” protested Ahsoka, “but individual Jedi like Master Plo and Aayla. We already know they’d come to our aide. Why don’t we explain the situation and our plan to them? We would get more allies and potentially their forces as well.”

“Good idea Snips,” smiled Anakin. “We should also look into maybe getting some allies in the form of military higher-ups like admirals.”

“I don’t know. It seems the more people we take on, the greater our chances of discovery are. We must be cautious,” remarked Obi-wan, feeling older than he had the right to be.

“I agree, but you said it yourself: we need allies,” Anakin said sadly. None of them were looking at each other at the moment, as each was staring down at their teacup like a wise yet whimsical fat old man would jump out and start giving them advice.

“What if we limit what everyone knows to a need-to-know basis? It’s not like Palpatine is being subtle. If we get a few war-wary admirals mixed with Jedi who want to go back to the good ol’ days in our corner, we might not even need to tell them the truth about him,” said Ahsoka. Obi-wan looked at her. She was a little unsure as she always was, but Obi-wan thought it was a brilliant idea.

“Brilliant, young one. You’re turning into quite the strategist,” praised Obi-wan with a sly smile.

“I agree Obi-wan. Nice thinking Ahsoka,” Anakin beamed. Ahsoka matched their smiles with her own timid smile, and Obi-wan wanted to hug his little padawans. So he did. Pulling them to himself, he breathed in their scents as they settled over him.

“Sorry,” Obi-wan said after letting go. “Just wanted to do that for a while.” Ahsoka and Anakin blinked at him then each other before jumping atop their shared master and proceeding to return his hug in kind. Not even caring to pretend to be angry or annoyed, Obi-wan just smiled and held them closer. There they stayed for a while before duty called and they had to return to their men. “Oh, I almost forgot,” Obi-wan said as he grabbed something off a nearby shelf. “I couldn’t help but notice you lost your commlink, young one. I took the liberty of requesting a new one for you. It has all your contacts your last one had and the same number, but I couldn’t get your old messages forwarded. Apparently, one needs the actual original comm, but whenever I tried to get it, it kept getting lost in evidence.”

Ahsoka took the commlink and immediately attached it to her wrist. “Thank you, Master,” she beamed.

“You’re welcome. Now, let’s go before Cody gives some poor shiny a heart attack,” Obi-wan replied. At that moment, yelling could be heard down the hall, and Obi-wan had to sprint to calm an overly irate commander and terrified shiny. (To this day, Cody still gets crap about going off on a shiny for not knowing the regulation way of arranging contraband candy.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cody needs a vacation. Also, I won't give you any hints (outside that it's not a Star Wars character), but if anyone can name the character I was referencing in this character, bonus points for you. Lol.


	45. The Cunning Fox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You had to be a very observant and cunning trooper to get assigned to the ‘cushy’ Coruscant Guard.

You had to be a very observant and cunning trooper to get assigned to the ‘cushy’ Coruscant Guard. Fox knew this. His brothers didn’t, but he didn’t really care. Let them think he sat behind a desk all day drinking caff and eating donuts when he really was constantly running down leads on corrupt officials and mafia bosses and bounty hunters and the more dangerous smugglers. One of the only perks of the job was that he rarely had to deal with the Jedi. Sure, he always treated them with the utmost respect and answered them when they needed something, but the days of that were few and far between, especially as the war progressed. Mostly they did their thing, and the Guard did their jobs, and all was well.

So, when he overheard some shinies whisper in awe about some Commander Tano, he was intrigued. At first, he thought they were talking about some clone he hadn’t met yet, but after a few more times of hearing about Commander Tano, he realized his men were talking about a Jedi padawan. To be honest, while he had nothing against Jedi personally, he thought the rumors of their powers and prowess were overrated, and he had seen enough broken battalions to know that a good Jedi didn’t make for a good general, so he just chalked up the rumors of Commander Tano as good gossip but nothing to put stock in. Fox had tried to go about his work as usual, but rumors of Tano continued to make it to the periphery of his life.

_“Commander Tano infiltrated a droid factory, just to rescue a squad that had been captured in an earlier battle.”_

_“Commander Tano says remembrances with her men after every battle and lets her men openly mourn their fallen brothers.”_

_“Commander Tano told off a **senator** for calling the clones property.”_

_“Commander Tano brings gifts and treats to the barracks whenever she can.”_

_“Commander Tano helps settle dibs fights fairly.”_

_“Commander Tano is the only one Wolffe lets talk back to him.”_

_“Commander Tano once took the blame for one of her men’s destruction of a fighter. She scrubbed floors on General Skywalker’s ship for **months**.”_

_“Commander Tano comforts her men after nightmares and battles and helps them pursue hobbies like painting or knitting to cope with loss.”_

_“Commander Tano fights alongside her men and visits them in the medbay.”_

The more he heard, the harder it was to ignore the rumors. Fox decided to do what he did best. He started a case file on the girl. First, he made a compilation of all the intel he had so far. Then, he actively looked for stories about her. The shinies were eager to talk about her, that was no surprise. It was surprising when the older brothers, men who had more than earned their paint, spoke about her with the same kind of esteem if not the blind worship of the shinies. Even more surprising, when asked where these men got their stories, the shinies always said they heard them from other brothers on Kamino or from one of the battalions the 501st worked with (mostly the 212th but also the 104th and 327th on occasion with various other groups as the war went on).

Finally, the 501st earned a reprieve from the war, and Fox was able to discretely ask them one night at 79’s. The stories he heard as brothers weary from battle gulped down beers and whiskey like they were water astounded him. He decided he needed to get his eyes on the girl. To his surprise, she was at the barracks the next day, playing board games, making jokes, and just hanging out, making sure to pay extra attention to the troopers who needed it. He decided she was a small thing, and while he didn’t buy wholesale the rumors concerning her yet, there was enough truth to them. 

Then, he accidentally overheard her calming a sobbing trooper. The trooper apparently was a new addition to the 501st. He had joined with his training squad, but his squadmates had not gotten past the last campaign. Having experienced that himself after a bad raid on a spice shipment (Fox raked the informant over the coals for it and the Guard had a new policy of not delivering on their part of the deal if any information was withheld which that informant learned the hard way), he felt for the younger brother. From that day forward, Fox vowed that if he ever had the chance to return the favor for Tano, he would. 

When the Temple incident happened and Tano was blamed for it, he subtly tried to poke holes in his own arrest so she could get out on a technicality. She might not be a Jedi afterward, but that wasn’t under his power. When she escaped, he tried to slow down the search (without looking like he was aiding and abetting a fugitive) as much as possible to give her a chance to either skip town or find something they missed. When she was returned to custody, he planned on ‘misplacing’ evidence vital to the case against her when Tarkin and his goons came and took everything. He carefully arranged for evidence in her favor to be given to Senator Amidala. He almost included his own case file, filled with character evidence, before deciding it would only be used to show her ‘disdain’ for the Jedi’s way of life. He knew very well that these activities could get him in hot water, to say the least, but he also could figure out that Tano would never hurt a clone like she was accused (no matter what he said).

He damn near jumped for joy when she was acquitted. Knowing the ins and outs of Military Court and Coruscant politics, Fox knew there was no way Palpatine or Tarkin could or would get rid of her. Then, she wandered off, and Fox dropped everything to start a search if only to restore the 501st’s little sister to her rightful place.

Some brothers saw his gratitude and respect for the little commander as a crush, and he internally rolled his eyes. It wasn’t that Fox didn’t realize she was a beautiful young woman. That wasn’t it. He just had different interests than romance and finding a girlfriend. So while he could admit that she was the kind of girl most troopers would want on their arm, he didn’t care to chase a girl who his brothers depended on to come back. (Part of Fox’s job that he hated was to oversee the troopers who come to Coruscant for leave. He hated the look in some of his brothers’ eyes from back from war, like they barely saw the point in fighting.)

While Fox wasn’t into Ahsoka, he decided that as long as it didn’t interfere with their work, he would allow his men their gossip. It kept morale up, and what’s good for morale is good for productivity. He just hoped Rex didn’t show up one day to kick his ass. Until that day, Fox would allow for the rumors to circulate all they like.

So when he saw the footage of the Chancellor, _the man who his brothers died for and who he was expected to protect at all costs_ , calling Count Dooku and giving him orders, Fox wanted to go to Ahsoka immediately. She was the only Jedi (ex-Jedi) he trusted with the welfare of his brothers, but he decided to go to Skywalker instead for the plain reason that he outranked Ahsoka (plus, as her master, there was a good chance the man cared about the clones like Ahsoka did if only to a lesser extent). 

In the days to come, he would spend most of his time pretending not to scrutinize everything the Chancellor and his cronies did while scrutinizing everything the Chancellor and his cronies did. It was exhausting and very little was discovered other than that Amedda was aware but ultimately not in the inner circle while Sly Moore probably had a thing for the man. Fox was about to say screw it and make an attempt on the man’s life (either Fox got rid of him or forced the Chancellor to out himself which was good either way) when Admiral Tarkin came and made an official yet anonymous report saying he didn’t trust the military leadership of the Chancellor due to ‘frivolous use of the office.’

Fox knew the report was crap. If he could guess who was in the inner circle to take over the Republic, Tarkin would be his top guess. Fox could only think the man was trying to cover his own ass as no one would go after the informant should this go to trial (some stupid clause in the military’s court system), but Fox frankly could care less. This report would give him the wriggle room he needed to look into the Chancellor, but, better than that, it would suspend the Chancellor’s hold on the military completely until he was found to be completely clean (unlikely) and re-elected (even less likely once this mess hit the tabloids).

So Fox thanked the man for ‘doing his due service,’ and Tarkin smirked and assured him no thanks were necessary before leaving Fox to comb happily through every inch of the Chancellor’s life. Fox found that even small victories were sweet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be a one-shot, but I thought it served the main storyline better, so here it is.


	46. Artoo Gets Involved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> R2-D2 was annoyed again at his organic units.

R2-D2 was annoyed again at his organic units, and for once it wasn’t the fault of Unit-1, AKA Anakin_Skywalker, AKA Death-wisher, Unit-2, AKA Padmé_Amidala, AKA Angel, or Unit-3, AKA Obi-wan_Kenobi, AKA Papa_Jedi. 

He didn’t know what exactly happened, but Unit-4, AKA Ahsoka_Tano, AKA Little Sister was scanning with heightened cortisol as well as Unit-5, AKA CC-7567, AKA Captain_Rex, AKA Lover_Boy. R2-D2 didn’t know exactly why they were ‘sad’ as the organics called it, but he didn’t like it. Both were irritable, sad, consistently not fully charged, and Unit-4 had still not given him an oil bath.

Thankfully, R2-D2 had ways of finding out the problem and dealing with it. As an astromech, he wasn’t bothered much unless he was needed for a battle or a mission, so he had plenty of time. Now, preferably, C-3PO would’ve been here to help him, but the protocol droid was (characteristically, as Artoo saw it) missing right when he was needed, so Artoo had to make do with the spare translator in storage.

Under the cover of night, R2-D2 carefully reprogrammed the droid to not only analyze organic behavior but to also mimic organic units after analyzing their actions and forming a baseline for their behavior. Additionally, he set as many data from how Unit-4 and Unit-5 usually acted. So, the next day, the newly reprogrammed protocol droid started to make rounds around the ship, observing Unit-4 and Unit-5 to form a baseline. When one began to suspect the droid, it would simply move onto the next. So on and so on for about a week (thankfully the Separatists were being very considerate as far as Artoo was concerned) until the protocol droid had a baseline of assessment to mimic the two organics.

Again, under the cover of night, when most were sleeping or patrolling for a different type of droid, the two came together and ran as many simulations as possible to come up with the perfect plan. It was flawless. It had finesse, it had logic, it had style, not that any of that mattered. The morning the plan was supposed to initiate, that overgrown rust-bucket excuse of a droid Grevious decided to rain on Artoo’s parade. As the cyborg waged war around the ship, Artoo was called to service in Unit-1’s fighter, and the plan had to be postponed until after the battle.

The plan was to infiltrate the ship with Unit-4, Unit-5, and some men while the main force acted as a distraction. Once abroad, they were to split up momentarily so that Unit-1 and himself could sabotage the hyperdrive (setting it to land in the midst of Republic territory where Unit-3 would be waiting with the rest of their fleet) with Unit-5 as their lookout (Unit-5 quietly argued with Unit-1 for a solid minute, the longest argument Artoo had ever witnessed between the two organic beings, over that particular detail) while Unit-4 and her group of men would draw the attention of any droids away from the hyperdrive.

Surprisingly, everything on their end had gone according to plan up until it came to their exit (to which Unit-1 determined they would steal the cyborg’s personal ship to everyone’s malicious delight). Since they couldn’t exit the same way they entered, they didn’t know Ahsoka had been separated from their men until after they returned.

Naturally, Unit-1 ordered that they follow Grievous’ ship into hyperspace (this was part of the initial plan anyway so Admiral_Wullf_Yularen, a man who was decidedly underpaid for all the tricks Unit-1 tried to pull, didn’t even bat an eyelash, only muttered his retirement). Soon, they were on the comms to tell Unit-3 that Unit-4 had not escaped the ship. Of course, this made things harder in the execution of the plan, but what could be done? No one dared tell either general or their second-in-commands to sacrifice the woman they were all fond of.

After the battle, when the Republic forces had captured the ship (but not the general), Artoo realized the plan would be postponed indefinitely as his scans told him Ahsoka was no longer on the ship. Going straight to a droid outlet, Artoo accessed the security footage from the battle before, and what he found taught the droid the meaning of the word fear.

Grievous had decided to confront the group head-on. Unit-4, being the self-sacrificing type, insisted her men return to the ship while she gave them cover. (The only reason the clones followed her orders were that they trusted her to make her way out like she had before.) Ahsoka had confronted the droid general and his honor guard. In the fight that proceeded, Ahsoka had been outnumbered, but the droids had been outmatched. For every move the droids made, Ahsoka had countered and then some, but one of the droids had finally got a good hit in, knocking her out. Grievous had stepped up, and Artoo expected him to run her through with his stolen lightsabers while she was unconscious (like the sleemo he is) when he turned off his lightsabers and ordered his honor guard to bring the prison with them.

Between the Separatists’ ship exiting hyperspace and the ensuing battle for the craft, the droid general had sneaked away on an unknown ship along with his honor guard of droids and the one prisoner that could bring a significant portion of the clone army (if not the whole damn thing) to its knees, and there was not single thing Artoo could do to stop it.


	47. Where Is She?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Rex realized that Ahsoka was gone, he could feel his heart just stop as the world around him swirled and swam.

When Rex realized that Ahsoka was gone, he could feel his heart just stop as the world around him swirled and swam. He didn’t even feel his knees give out, only the sensation of being hauled to his feet. He could hear voices, but it didn’t matter if they were right next to him or on the other side of the ship because he couldn’t for the life of him figure out who was talking or what they were saying. Suddenly, he was _so **tired**_ , and his blurred surroundings slowly faded to black.

He woke up in a bed in the medbay with Cody next to him. “Cody? What am I doing here? Where is everybody?” he asked confused. His head felt fuzzy but was getting clearer and clearer by the minute when it all came flooding back. “Where’s Ahsoka?” he demanded.

“Rex,” Cody hesitated, obviously trying to calm his brother before he worked himself into another fit.

“Where. Is. She?” Rex demanded again. He was in no mood to be trifled with. Danger and aggression stampeded through his bloodstream like wild charging gundarks. He wanted to know where his ‘Soka had gone, and he wanted to know now. If Cody couldn’t tell him, he would find out for himself, doing whatever he had to.

“Rex, calm down,” replied Cody in equal measure. If Rex was in any position to evaluate the situation, he might have backed down due to Cody’s tone, but Rex was in panic mode, and nothing and no one but his little commander could calm him.

“No! Where is she? What’s being done to find her?” he screamed. At this point, he had started to gain attention from a few different brothers in other beds and taking care of patients, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“Rex!” called another voice from across the room, and Rex spun to look at whoever dared to call on him. Across the room stood his general with his arms crossed. The two men had a silent showdown of wills before Skywalker gestured to Rex to follow with his head. Rex went to Skywalker and walked past the man into the hall. “Nothing to see here. Back to work,” Anakin called back into the room. “Come on.”

Rex and Anakin walked to the command center while Anakin briefed him on the situation. It was a little weird to be in the command center without his armor, but Rex couldn’t bring himself to care. His eyes zoomed over the map, trying to think of anywhere and everywhere that overgrown clanker could have taken her and realizing that he could’ve taken her anywhere within the Separatist-controlled space (which was always too big for his liking but was now an infinity too big).

“We’ll find her Rex,” Anakin said as he put his hand on Rex’s shoulder. “And you know Ahsoka. She’s a fighter, and she won’t stop fighting until she’s back.” Anakin’s words were appreciated but did little to end the maelstrom of thoughts that raged on in Rex’s mind.

“I was supposed to protect her. I should’ve been with her,” said Rex. His hopelessness rose, and his anger rose to meet it. “Where are the troopers that were with her? They should’ve _known_ better than to leave her alone with that thing! Now, she’s going to die, and she’ll never- she’ll never know that-” Rex couldn’t finish his sentence due to the tears that welled up in his eyes and the despair in his soul.

“Rex,” Anakin said, grabbing his shoulders. “We _will_ find her. I _promise_ you. Artoo is already trying to locate her which will work so long as he isn’t trying to mask her signal. I just need you to be ready for when we get her back.” Rex simply closed his eyes tightly to keep the tears from running while he nodded in the affirmative. “I know what you’re going through. I’ve been through this before. It’s never fun, and it always hurts knowing there’s nothing to do but wait, but that’s all we need of you right now. If you want to take a minute to clear your head and focus your thoughts, no one will think less of you.”

“No! No, General, I’ll be fine. I just need to be here,” replied Rex as he finally calmed down (but only due to the fear he might be kicked out of the room if he didn’t).

“Good,” replied Anakin. “Now, I know you may not like it, but-”

“What the in _dar’yaim_ did you _di’kute_ do this time?!” yelled someone over comms. Looking up, he saw everyone who was involved in the first Ahsoka rescue mission and then some (including Wolffe who looked ready to kill someone and who yelled in the first place).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dar'yaim - hell, a place you want to forget  
> di'kute - idiots


	48. Dooku and His Great-Great-Grandpadawan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Count Dooku was just about done with Grievous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, you all get a much longer chapter than usual today. I wrote this chapter until I stopped feeling like it had more to say, so I can't wait to see how you all like it! Also, I do occasionally look at your bookmarks and your tags (I find all of them to be amusing and entertaining in some capacity), so just in case you weren't aware.

Count Dooku was just about done with Grievous. He was a below-average general, had a weird obsession with his grandpadawan, and had just lost _another_ ship. It doesn’t help matters that his new ‘apprentice’ was still sending him unsure side-eyed glances. To say that Barriss did not take the news of her new benefactor (as preferred to be considered) well would be only barely truthful. 

She had tried to fight him, capture him (presumably to turn him in), escape, and engaged in all kinds of inconvenient behavior before she could be convinced to see things his way. (It probably didn’t help Barriss that Satine was rather pleased with Barriss’s actions if not actively helping.) Finally, she was convinced to take on a new name, saber, and apparel as to not tip off anyone to her real identity. 

Now, with Barriss properly disguised and by his side, Dooku made for where Grievous hid. Dooku was on the fence on whether or not Grievous would survive the meet-up but was leaning towards killing the cyborg. It’s not like it wasn’t going to happen sooner or later. Grievous was always a loose end that was going to have to be snipped one way or another, and, as of late, he proved to be more of a liability than anything. The only reason he was still alive was so Dooku didn’t have to risk his lineage against an actually competent military leader, and the only reason he was still free from Republic custody was because his lineage cared about the wellbeing of their men (which was fine by him so long as they didn’t sacrifice themselves needlessly).

As the airlock on the ship locked onto Grievous’ ship, Dooku sensed a second life onboard. Hoping against hope he was wrong, Dooku quickly boarded the shuttle with Barriss following on his heels. 

Quickly, the two made their way to the main room where Grievous waited with most of his bodyguards and his great-great-grandpadawan hanging in mid-air unconscious with many hideous wounds (that he could see) marring her body while her clothing was torn and blood turned her skin a barker more red color. Fury took over, and he dispatched with all the guards without really noticing. Grievous, the idiot, did not register anything as wrong until right before Dooku ended his pathetic life. Meanwhile, Barriss released Ahsoka from the containment field to carry her off the ship onto Dooku’s own where a small medbay complete with med-droid and bacta tank awaited the more seriously injured passenger. (Dooku would be forever grateful to the salesman who convinced him to get the added feature.)

Over the next few days, Barriss, Satine, and himself waited for Ahsoka to be deemed stable enough to leave the bacta tank, then for Ahsoka to wake up. No one was more impatient then Barriss. In training, he had to tell her multiple times to focus at the moment at hand. (Reminded him of training Qui-gon if he was honest.) When not training (if it could be called that), she spent time outside the bedroom Ahsoka had been set up in, waiting for her to emerge. Satine, for her part, took to reading holonovels and poetry by the side of the bed while Ahsoka slumbered peacefully when not tracking down leads on who Darth Sidious really was. 

Dooku was on his own usually, and he took this time to reflect on what to say to the girl. Needless to say, he would have to be completely honest (even more honest than he had been with Obi-wan on Geonosis as he decided in the days following), but how to phrase his piece and what evidence to show her. He would eventually decide to show a number of transmissions from Darth Sidious and the design and programming for the clones’ chips, trying to show her enough to convince her but not enough to overwhelm her.

Soon after Dooku made that decision, Ahsoka was up and about, trying to figure out where she had been taken and how to make it back to her men. Watching the security feed, Dooku smiled at her make her way throughout the manor while dodging Barriss (who immediately tried to track her down when Ahsoka slipped past her on the way out of her room) and Satine (who was recruited by Barriss to find Ahsoka). Eventually, he saw her head in his direction and decided to simply wait for her, sitting at his desk. 

When she cracked the door open to scan the room for an exit, he called out, “I know you’re there. Might as well come in, Tano.” He sensed a sliver of fear before it was overtaken by a bit of anger before she quietly opened the door and entered the room.

“Dooku,” she greeted coldly yet civilly. “Why am I here?” She stood a good distance from his desk, unwilling to get closer in case he struck he presumed.

“I found your treatment under Grievous to be unacceptable,” he asked simply, and her eye narrowed.

“And Grievous is…?” she drawled, fishing for whatever information she could get off him. He would oblige her. 

“Dead,” he said simply. Her eyes flashed in surprise but quickly returned to their cold state.

“Why would _you_ , of all people, want Grievous dead?” she asked accusingly.

“I don’t know. Maybe I was jealous of his superb military leadership,” he snipped. Ahsoka snorted out a laugh, almost against her will before returning to her chilly demeanor.

“Why am I here?” she asked. “And why did you heal me?” He smiled kindly and gestured to the seat on the other side of his desk which she cautiously took.

“I suppose you will want these back?” asked Dooku, placing her lightsabers on the desk in front of her. She quickly scooped them up and checked them for damage before sighing in relief. “I know you have questions, but I ask you to listen before anything else.” Dooku thought she would refuse, but she gave a quick and determined nod, and Dooku launched into his spiel, not deviating for even a moment. 

He told her about Qui-gon’s death, his decision to chase down the Sith Lord responsible for it all, the scheming and plotting to start the war, the clones’ chips, the plans for a galactic empire under the thumb of the Sith, everything. He had expected her to be more surprised, but she only listened while she stared him down with harsh eyes.

“Suppose I believe you,” she said when he had finished, “what then? And what happens after the Sith Lord is taken care of?” The Count, for what it was worth, was quite proud of his great-great-grandpadawan’s behavior in this instance. She carried herself with grace and held her cards carefully to her chest as she internally debated his words.

“After the Sith Lord is taken care of, I would, of course, turn myself in,” Dooku replied simply. Ahsoka crossed her arms in front of herself.

“That’s it?” she questioned in disbelief.

“That’s it. I have one goal left in life, and that goal is to end this Sith business once and for all. It’s caused more problems than I dare count for my lineage.” Dooku leaned back in his chair, relaxed, while Ahsoka seemed to think over what he just said.

“If you care so much about your lineage, why did you cut off Anakin’s arm and leg?” questioned Ahsoka with no small amount of bite.

“He wanted to be a Jedi Underworld Cop. He couldn’t with a prosthetic as they’re too clunky and easily identified,” countered Dooku. Ahsoka paled slightly. She had apparently heard of the Underworld cops on Coruscant. They were highly trained, highly sought after, and rarely lived longer than seven or eight years on the job due to the dangers they were constantly exposed to.

“I’ll … have to check on that,” Ahsoka answered simply. “But none of this explains why you didn’t go to the Council.”

Dooku sighed. “The Council wanted to wait for the Sith to expose itself. I thought by the time the Sith did, it would be too late to do anything about it.”

“So you start a war?” she questioned sarcastically.

Dooku got up and walked to the window. “I’m not a good person. I don’t pretend to be. I don’t care about many people. There is a handful of people I would actually fight to protect, and the Sith threatens them. If I have to tear the galaxy apart to save the people I love, I’ll do it without question. Your master and I are very much alike in that.”

Ahsoka surged out of her chair. “Anakin would _never_ do what you’ve done!” Ahsoka screamed at him. “And you are an evil hateful man for ever suggesting he would!”

“You’re right!” he screamed back which caused her to shift away. “I’m not a good man. I admit that. I might just be evil as you said, but don’t pretend for a second that the only thing holding that boy in the light is his attachments to you, his ‘secret’ wife, and Obi-wan.” Ahsoka shrunk away, and Dooku immediately regretted yelling at her despite telling the truth. “Anakin is not a good Jedi, but anyone can see he is still a good man. We all have our downfalls and our crimes, and some of us are beyond redemption, but Anakin Skywalker still has the chance to live out his life as a good man. All we have to do is eliminate the Sith.” Ahsoka shifted her gaze away.

“I … If you let me go home, I can bring what you told me to my masters, and we can stop the Sith Lord, the war, everything,” she whispered. Dooku almost didn’t hear her.

“If I _let_ go home, it would look suspicious,” said the Count. “We’ll have to have you ‘escape’ with some important ‘information’ for your masters.” Ahsoka slowly nodded so he took that as an agreement. “I’ll come up with the details of the cover story and get everything ready. Perhaps you should spend some time with the Duchess? She seems to be quite upset with me.”

“That is an understatement!” yelled a woman from behind them. In stormed the Duchess Satine Kyrze of Mandalore who promptly grabbed Ahsoka and dragged her from the room. Dooku watched on in amusement as Satine led the confused young woman out of the room and to what he could only assume to be the garden.

(Satine had discovered the garden to be the farthest she could get without running into his security measures, which would bring her back to her room unharmed, and as such spent as much time as possible there. If she wasn’t careful, she would be sunburnt, but he didn’t put in pass her to ignore him and refuse any protection and ultimately decided it might look better for the pasty Duchess to be significantly darker as if she was held in outdoor quarters.)

“Bellona, I know you’re there,” Dooku called out once the other two women had left. From the shadows, his new partner revealed herself.

“Do you think she will recognize me?” she asked hesitantly. Dooku felt pity for the poor girl. Her mind, while constantly healing and growing stronger every day from the abuse she suffered on behalf of the Sith Lord’s plotting and abuse, was still a bit fragile, making her unsure of even the most certain of things.

“She might have if she was looking for your force signature in particular, but otherwise you should be safe,” he replied, “but even if she did, I’m sure she would listen to whatever you needed to tell her.” Dooku really did want Barriss now Bellona to find a little peace even if the plan was going to eventually include their deaths.

“You don’t know Ahsoka like I do,” she responded simply, looking down at hands as if she could see where the Ahsoka’s blood would have splashed onto her.

“No, I don’t, but she did just listen to a man supposed to be her sworn enemy tell her something that was more than a bit farfetched even for the truth. She might be willing to listen to you.” Dooku had gotten up and placed a hand on Bellona’s shoulder.

“I don’t doubt that. Ahsoka always had the biggest heart I’ve ever seen, and it’s because of that heart she can never know about me. She would fight to let me live, and for the plan to work, for the Republic to come out of this standing, I need to be sacrificed for the greater good,” Bellona said sweetly. “It will be my final atonement.”

“I know the feeling, but don’t you think she will want to hear from you?” he asked. Bellona reached into her belt and pulled out a disk, the kind used to record messages.

“This disk explains everything. I’m going to give it to a droid for it to be delivered after I’m gone.” Dooku was slightly surprised (and a bit saddened but you try to get him to confess to that) at Bellona’s willingness to sacrifice herself for the sake of the mission and how she even prepared for it, though he supposed that Barriss would behave similarly from what he could tell from the CIS Intelligence file (though it left out her determination to see through her assignment).

In this light, Dooku could only respond in one way: “Very well.”


	49. Don't Lose Yourself Trying to Find Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan was very impressed by how Anakin carried himself ...

Obi-wan was (among other less pleasant feelings) very impressed by how Anakin carried himself in the wake of Ahsoka’s capture by Grievous. Despite being quite obviously pissed, he didn’t try to go overbroad on the rescue like usual (a trait Obi-wan wondered at many points in his life if _he_ taught Anakin that). Furthermore, instead of trying to hold the burden on his shoulders alone, he reached out to those who could help (despite the death glares he got from Commander Wolffe and Master Secura which Obi-wan was offended by on Anakin’s behalf). Honestly, it worried Obi-wan a bit in the back of his mind, but Obi-wan didn’t know how to approach the subject (how do you tell someone that you are worried that they acting in a more mature and responsible manner than usual) and so allowed for Anakin to continue as he was while they searched for Ahsoka.

Meanwhile, he watched as Captain Rex’s focus never slipped as he obsessively checked, double-checked, and triple-checked maps, any and all intel they had available on Grievous, possible theories to where the cyborg might have taken Ahsoka, and anything else that _might_ lead to finding Ahsoka. This might not be so bad if his moods didn’t constantly swing between righteous rage to inconsolable grief back to rage to numbness and grief and back again. Somehow, the captain kept it together enough for his presence and actions to not be a distraction or hindrance of any kind, but the men were growing worried. If their captain was losing it, it _must_ hope was nil apparently. Obi-wan toyed with the idea of having Cody have a word with the man but ultimately decided to talk to Rex himself.

Walking up to where Rex was studying a map, turning it ever so often to make sure he could study it from as many viewpoints as possible, Obi-wan spoke calmly, “Captain, how goes the search?” Rex didn’t answer him for a moment, and Obi-wan wondered if he had spoken loudly enough and decided to ask again. “Rex, how go-”

“I heard you. Nothing to report,” clipped Rex. Now, while Obi-wan wasn’t offended by Rex’s response, Obi-wan knew the response was way out of character for the usually very respectful captain.

“I know you are under a lot of stress trying to find Ahsoka. Are you taking care of yourself?” questioned Obi-wan as he looked over the captain. Despite how determined and focused he looked, Rex had developed dark bags under his eyes, and his skin was starting to turn a bit paler than usual as if he had been sick.

“I’m fine,” Rex once again clipped while never once turning from the map in front of him.

Obi-wan paused before speaking again. “She’s going to be okay. We’ll see her again. If anyone could do it, it’s our Ahsoka.” Obi-wan watched as Rex slowly lowered his eyes and straightened himself to stand at his full height.

“I promised to have her back, to always make sure she made it home even if that meant I didn’t. I broke that promise when I let her be taken by that sadistic overgrown tinny, who’s probably in league with the Chancellor, so forgive me, General, but I need to find her,” Rex said, angry and frustrated tears brimming up in his eyes. Obi-wan put a hand on his shoulder.

“Rex, you can’t blame yourself for what happened,” Obi-wan said. 

Rex spun around and got up in Obi-wan’s face. “Is that what you said when the Duchess died?” Rex growled like a wounded animal.

Obi-wan thought he would be less shocked or hurt if Rex had just sucker-punched him. “That’s not fair,” he whispered.

“Yeah, it’s not, you could at least say you did everything you could to stop it. You went to save her. I was busy doing something else that could’ve been done by pretty much anyone else while she was taken. I didn’t even _know_ she was gone until I got back. So don’t tell me I can’t blame myself when it’s my fault for leaving her side.” Rex flung himself back at the map set out in front of him, giving it his full attention.

Obi-wan had decided not to push Rex any farther, but couldn’t help but pause at the door. “I don’t know if this is about her disappearance or your fight with her or both, but you know how determined and willful Ahsoka is, she won’t stop fighting, _ever_. She knew what she was doing when she chose to face Grievous alone, and if you had been there, she would’ve just ordered you away like everyone else who was there. And I do blame myself for Satine’s death for my part in it, but I also know she, all that she was a pacifist, would’ve kicked my butt for blaming myself for what someone else did to her. Ahsoka wouldn't want you to lose yourself trying to find her.” With that, Obi-wan left the captain how he found him in favor of finding Anakin. The other Jedi and commanders had arrived for what they thought was a briefing on the situation at hand. 

To clarify, it was. Just not on the situation at hand involving Ahsoka. It was time to tell them about the Sith Lord.


	50. Satine's Happy Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satine brought Ahsoka to her favorite part of the gardens ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we are, at the 50th chapter. I'd like to thank all of you who read from the beginning, who commented/bookmarked/subscribed/kudo'd/shared/etc. It's been so fun interacting with you, and I hope to continue! Please keep commenting and requesting stuff. If nothing else, it's food for thought which fuels the writing process which gets more chapters out faster. Thank you!

Satine brought Ahsoka to her favorite part of the gardens: a small stained glass gazebo with white wood. The inside was lightly furnished with white wicker chairs and side tables with potted plants and flowers along the walls. In a way, the place reminded Satine of her Obi-wan and at times she found herself talking to the man despite the distance between the two of them. 

Leading Ahsoka into the gazebo, she pushed her thoughts of Obi-wan to the side. “I suppose you have some questions,” the Duchess began as they both sat down.

“Yes, for starters, I’d like to know how you got here, m’lady,” said Ahsoka while watching Satine. Satine simply gave an annoyed yet amused huff.

“It seems the Count was able to get to me before I was beyond saving and stuffed me in a bacta tank. I’ve been here ever since.” Satine gave a surveying glance to the place around her, trying to calculate how many hours she poured over this or that security measure in attempts to escape before puzzling out who could be the Sith Lord (if there was one at all which Satine started to believe as time went on and no trace of such a person was found).

“You’re a prisoner here,” Ahsoka stated more than asked. Satine looked down at her feet.

“Yes, but I have been making myself useful,” Satine said. “I’ve been trying to track down this Sith Lord for Dooku while he gathers information about the Sith Lord manipulating both the Separatists and the Republic. There isn’t much I’ve been able to find, and what Dooku has is very flimsy.” Satine inspected her hands in her lap and decided not to tell her about Barriss though the girl had asked for her help in finding Ahsoka. She thought it better to let Barriss (or Bellona as she was now called) herself handle it.

“I still don’t get it. Master Obi-wan saw you die in front of him. You were run through with the Darksaber!” exclaimed Ahsoka. Satine grinned grimly and pulled up her shirt high enough to see a single scar where the Darksaber had been used on her.

“Apparently, a weapon made of pure energy is good at cauterizing wounds long enough for medicine to still hold an effect.” Satine pulled down her shirt and tried very hard not to think of Obi-wan and how he reacted to her ‘death’ (though, knowing him, he simply ignored his feelings in favor of ‘releasing them into the Force’ whatever the Devil that meant).

“He’s alright, by the way. Obi-wan,” Ahsoka clarified as if she had heard Satine’s thoughts. Satine sighed.

“Is he?” she asked, lifting her eyes to look at Ahsoka directly. She didn’t know if she was happy or upset Obi-wan was alright but decided she could determine that if she ever got off this dust ball.

“He wasn’t for a while. He tried to hide it, but I could see how it ate at him and so could Anakin. He started to watch me, Anakin, and the clones closer, started to make risker choices because it saved others’ from more danger. I don’t know if anyone ever questioned him about a sudden change, but I know his faith in the Jedi as an order started to waver after your death.” Satine could feel her eyes widen. When Satine had contemplated asking Obi-wan to stay behind on Mandalore with her, one of the main reasons she didn’t was so she didn’t have to watch him choose the Order over her. Hearing that her death made him question the closest thing he ever had to family made her question a thousand decisions she had made over the years.

“Oh,” was all she could manage before she re-focused. “So, the plan is to get you to ‘escape,’ is it? Of course, you’ll take what information the Count has found as well. The trick will be getting a ship that can pass for an escape craft.” Ahsoka nodded and seemingly began to think of possible options, and Satine was thankful. Satine did not know much about ships admittedly. Her education focused on war, fighting, the history of Mandalore and the galaxy overall, politics, and political strategy. She could operate a speeder or a bike in a pinch, but flying and mechanics were beyond her reach of knowledge.

“Something small, but with a hyperdrive. It wouldn’t hurt for it to be a bit run down. Of course, we’ll have to make it look like the ship was almost shot down. Maybe I can crash on a landing pad somewhere in the Republic to make it look good.” Satine smiled. Ahsoka sounded just like Obi-wan. (He was always coming up with strategies or plans of this or that nature during their time on the run. When they did have free time from running or setting up camp or finding food or supplies, he would teach her dejarik, and she would teach him _cubikahd_ in return. They spent so many nights that way when neither could sleep.) “Duchess? Are you coming with me?”

Satine sat there for a moment. She couldn’t deny that it could and would be _so **easy**_ if she went with Ahsoka. It was damningly tempting. If she went with Ahsoka, she could see Mandalore and Bo’ika and Korkie again, maybe even Obi-wan. “No, Ahsoka, I’m needed here. I need to make sure that the Sith Lord is found out by figuring out who he is.”

“But Duchess, I know who the Sith Lord is. It’s the Chancellor.”

Satine wasn’t sure she heard Ahsoka right the first time, but once she determined that she did in fact hear Ahsoka say that Sheev Palpatine was the Sith Lord she had been searching for during her captivity, she felt a fire build in her blood. She thought of every encounter she had with the man, from having to defend her home from a ‘well-meaning’ Republic invasion to even the simplest of political dinners, of how she always hated his ‘grandfatherly’ way of dealing with her and others and wondered if she could have prevented this somehow, but mostly, her mind was filled with rage as she nearly abandoned her pacifist ideals that very moment in favor of ripping the man’s throat out with her bare hands. “We have to tell the Count. He needs to know.”

“What if he just goes straight to Coruscant to kill the Chancellor? Then, the war will never end, and Palpatine will come out a hero,” worried Ahsoka. Satine fixed the girl with a determined look.

“Dooku is many things, but a fool is not one of them. We have to tell him.” And with that, Satine began to march her way to the man she found begrudging respected to tell him the identity of the Sith Lord and to plan his downfall. With a cruel smile, Satine thought Death Watch had really underestimated her ability to bring hell down. Palpatine would not get such a chance.


	51. Here's the Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aayla was … stunned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this is a bit late. Some personal stuff has been going on here at home which has kept me busy if not exhausted. Not much time for writing I dare say. Anyway, here's a new chapter from a completely new POV that I've been meaning to do for ages. I think I'm going to upload some snapshots of Obi-wan raising Anakin onto the Background Oneshots next, but I'm not sure.

Aayla was … stunned. To think that the Chancellor was … and the war ... As things clicked into place in her mind, she felt the world around her shift in some indescribable way, almost like her center of gravity was removed. Suddenly, all the death and suffering and loss she and her men went through felt cheap and wasted. The taste of ash invaded her mouth. When Skywalker demanded they come to him in the middle of space, she didn’t think it would be this … horrific.

Reaching out in the Force, she felt remorse, regret, shock, grief, confusion, and disbelief. Looking around, Commander Wolffe looked like he was about to drop to the floor while her own commander looked lost. She couldn’t decipher Master Plo (the mask made it extremely hard to tell for someone who didn’t spend every day with the man) though she doubted he felt like sunshine and rainbows. Skywalker and Kenobi, for their part, tried to avoid locking eyes, and Aayla knew they were still struggling with the knowledge they just shared with them.

“Why haven’t you told the Council?” she asked. The two men looked at her then exchanged looks before Kenobi answered.

“The Council … Well, the Council,” he tried before pausing to sigh. Kenobi then straightened himself and placed his hands behind himself like it was a normal briefing. “The Council is not what it used to be. If we go to the Council with this now, they would immediately try to take action. With all that we know, I don’t think that’s the right move.” 

“Besides, I think we can all agree that the Council has not made the most inspiring decisions as of late, no offense to those present,” spoke up Anakin, nodding to Master Plo at the end.

“None taken, young Skywalker,” Plo said slowly. With his words, Aayla could see that he was still very much shaken and was still pondering the situation at hand.

“Well, what do we do? Who do we tell? If we’re not going to go to the Council, what’s the plan?” asked Bly. He stood straight and rigid, and her heart broke a little for her commander. He was a good man and deserved better than this lot as far as Aayla was concerned.

“The plan is to gain as many allies and evidence against the Chancellor as possible without tipping him off,” Skywalker replied, stepping up next to Kenobi like they were having a mission briefing. Aayla supposed they were in a way. “To this end, we have you, a handful of other clones, and a couple of senators on our side.” 

“We think it’s for the best you don’t spread this information or know who else knows until the last moment,” spoke up Kenobi with an apologetic yet stern face. Aayla heard Wolffe growl (literally growl) before stomping forward a few steps.

“What’s that suppose to mean?” he demanded as he glared down the two men.

“It’s just a precautionary measure, Commander,” stated Kenobi, stepping slightly between the irate clone commander and his old padawan. “While we know you all would be careful to not give anything away, we are facing an enemy that’s already leagues ahead of us. Even the slightest mistake could mean complete and utter failure and the downfall of the Republic. Not only that, but beyond slowing amassing allies and discovering the exact extent of the Chancellor’s treachery, we don’t have much in way of support. Public opinion isn’t exactly in favor of the Jedi right now, and the Chancellor is far more popular right now. We have to be smart about this, but, more importantly, we have to be careful.”

“The Chancellor was able to rise to the highest level of office, secretly commission the creation of an entire military, and start a war all the while secretly training a Sith apprentice and avoiding detention by the Jedi Order. This is a man with a plan and the patience to see it through. He’s come too far to be stopped now and won’t hesitate to eliminate any threat to his endgame. I’m sorry, but if there is any way we can minimize risk, we need to do it,” added Skywalker with a hand on Kenobi’s shoulder. Aayla could tell Commander Wolffe was still angry, but he eventually nodded his head and stepped back to stand by Master Plo.

“Why us?” Aayla asked, crossing her arms when everyone turned to look at her. “Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m glad I know now, but I want to know how you chose to trust me. If you are asking us to trust you in picking and choosing who knows, I need you to trust me in telling how you determined we were trustworthy.” She added a hard stare at the end for effectiveness, and Kenobi looked to Skywalker who looked sadly downwards to the floor.

“Ahsoka thought we should,” Kenobi said softly without taking his eyes off his ex-student. For a moment, all stood quietly, reminded of the young woman who had been stolen from them once again and who they were unsure of her fate. While they all thought she had a fighting chance as long as she lived, her captor was known for his liberal use of torture and dismemberment on prisoners (especially those of the Jedi variety) and his obsession with killing as many Jedi as possible. No one said it out loud, but if Grievous hadn’t tried to contact them to gloat over his capture of Ahsoka, her fate might very be sealed.

“What _is_ the situation on Ahsoka?” Master Plo asked, breaking the silence. Aayla held her breath for a moment, asking the Force for a sign of hope or a miracle.

“We have reported her disappearance to Command,” said Skywalker in determination, almost as if he refused to even entertain the very real possibility that Ahsoka was gone (which Aayla didn’t blame him for), “and we have been trying to determine where Grievous might have taken her. I recently discovered that my droid, R2, had implanted a tracker in Ahsoka. While the tracker usually only works if the two were on the same planet, we’re trying to boost R2’s capacity to track her using nearby radio frequency which part of the reason I asked you to meet us. If you would allow R2 to tap into your ships’ networks and then strategically position them in specific in space, even for a moment, R2’s search radius would be large enough to eliminate a significant amount of Grievous’s possible hiding places if not find her outright.” 

“Would adding more ships to your plan help you, Skywalker?” asked a new voice from the door. Not realizing they hadn’t heard the door even open, all raised their weapons to see Masters Shaak Ti and Luminara Unduli.

“We caught the end of your scheme, Skywalker, and we want _in_ ,” said Unduli. Aayla had not really interacted with the woman enough to get a good read on her, but she had always seemed like a reserved yet caring soul to her. Skywalker, at least, seemed pleased with her insistence.

“The more the merrier, Masters. Thank you,” he grinned. Ti smiled gently back, but Unduli gave him a much fuller grin before looking down a bit sadly.

“Skywalker, I need to tell you the reason we came in the first place. Barriss has escaped from Republic custody.” One could hear a pin drop. While it wasn’t the sucker punch that the news of the Chancellor was, there was plenty of dread to arise with this revelation.

“We must focus on one problem at a time,” said Kenobi. “Anakin, get R2 ready to plug into the ships’ network. While Barriss may very well be safe and in hiding, we know Ahsoka is in danger.” Everyone (even Unduli though she was rather reluctant for obvious reasons) agreed and off they went to make the necessary preparations.

As Aayla and Bly went to board their own ship, he spoke up. “General, what do you think of what Kenobi and Skywalker said?” he asked hesitantly.

“I think the plan will work as long as we stick to our assignment,” she replied, knowing her dear commander would pick up on her double meaning.

He nodded and set off to inform the crew of the plan. Aayla watched as he walked away, indulging in a rare moment of observing her right-hand. She knew of his feelings for her (though he was almost annoyingly professional with her at all times). She even returned them. Had she been even a bit more daring, she might have asked how he felt about a secret relationship. (After all, Skywalker and Senator Amidala maintained one, why couldn’t she and her commander?) Ultimately, she had decided that she couldn’t risk being reassigned away from her commander and resolved to deal with the consequences of her feelings silently.

That was until she had overheard Kenobi and Commander Cody whispering about a way a Jedi might stay on as a general should they leave the Order. (And they thought they were being so _discrete_! Ha!) Her heart had soared and raced like a racing pod through some desolate desert or barren wasteland, the very thought sending her into a euphoric and excited state of mind. She quietly kept tabs on their research, and while they had yet to come up with a solid and viable solution (or else, Aayla would have slammed Bly into the nearest wall and jumped his bones already), she remained hopeful and determined to the point she had allowed herself liberties she hadn’t before. 

She started being freer with her commander as of late (something she knew surprised Bly a bit) with her emotions and physical contact. Nothing to really quench her thirst, but enough to whet her appetite for the time being, but the time was approaching quickly to make her feelings and intentions known. 

Aayla gave a wicked smile to nothing in particular and quickly went about doing her part to prepare her ship for Skywalker’s plan. To hell with the rule governing her attachments. As far as Aayla was concerned, the Force itself made Bly her perfect half and partner for life, and the Order could sit on a pin if they didn’t like it. 

(Aayla giggled internally as she imagined Vos’ reaction. Considering her master once literally told her ‘screw the Council’ when she asked about a particular stance on Jedi Code and its faith and had always been more of a ‘the-Force-is-what-you-make-of-it’ and ‘rules-were-made-for-the-unimaginative’ kind of guy, she couldn’t imagine he would be upset. Would he threaten Bly? Absolutely, but would otherwise trust her to make her own way through the galaxy like always.)


	52. One Step at a Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Anakin first found out about the tracers Artoo place in them, he couldn’t help but be relieved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry all! Things at home (while not alarming) have been hectic. Due to some health issues that have arisen (not covid), I've had to help a lot more around the house and with my parents, but this fic and you all have never been far from my thoughts. I hope you like this chapter. I'll be honest, I'm not 100% sure on it and might end up revising it, but I will try to post a notice before that if I choose to do that.
> 
> This brings me to another point: I had a friend of mine read what I've posted and asked for some feedback on the overall quality. She advised the beginning is a bit on the boring side but the story picks up around chapter 9. I agree with her. Therefore, my plan is to finish this chapter then do some light editing throughout the story. No major changes to plot, but maybe add some depth and conflict to the beginning to make it better. I will post a notice before this as well.

When Anakin first found out about the tracers Artoo place in them, he couldn’t help but be relieved. He _wanted_ to be angry. By all accounts, he should have been, but looking back on all the times Ahsoka, Obi-wan, and even himself went missing, he couldn’t fault the logic in Artoo’s decision, especially given the current situation.

The plan was simple for him: expand Artoo’s range with remote spikes onboard other ships so that he could eliminate more places from their list of possible hiding places. If this worked, even if they didn’t find her exact location, they would be that much closer to bringing Ahsoka back. Getting it ready was the easy part. The problem would come later when the ships left with the spikes. The spikes would only work over a certain distance before deactivating, and if even one deactivated before the others synced up to Artoo’s system, the whole plan might fall through. Even if the spikes did sync up to Artoo’s system at the same time, they might not stay like that long enough for Artoo to pick up a signal or scan the area effectively. There were too many ‘what if’s for his or Obi-wan’s liking, but they had to try.

Getting ready for the plan, Anakin couldn’t help but wonder where his Snips could be and if she was hurt. He knew he was just torturing himself, but it was hard not to. The best-case scenario was that Grievous was trying to get information out of her and he would try contacting them when she didn’t give him anything, but even that might be too much to hope for. 

Obi-wan didn’t try and talk him down from his quiet panic for which Anakin was thankful. Instead, he gave little reassurances like a private look or a hand on his shoulder here and there, never being more than calming presence in the storm that was this frantic search for their missing padawan.

Meanwhile, his captain was combing through everything they had connected to Ahsoka’s capture like a madman. If his men were to be believed, Rex had ignored even the most basic of his own needs in hunt to bring Ahsoka back to the 501st, not eating or drinking or sleeping, downing stims whenever he seemed to slow down. If he wasn’t careful, he could drop dead. It was why he decided to keep the plan from Rex for the time being. 

If all worked well, he planned to tell Rex, but he didn’t know if he could risk Rex pinning his hopes on this one plan. He knew what that was like. He experienced it a number of times. It always scared him after the fact how single-minded he became, how focused. He would eventually brush it off as doing what he had to do, but seeing that same deadly determination in the face of his second-in-command changed Anakin’s perception. Now, it was something he _had_ to control. He now saw that if and when he ever got into that mindset again, he could do things he would definitely regret afterward. 

Sitting on his bed in his quarters, Anakin thought long and hard about the decision before him. If he told Obi-wan everything and he turned away, he would lose one of the only people who had taken a genuine interest in his life because of him and not his ability in the Force. If he didn’t tell Obi-wan everything, there was a chance he would never get over that obsessive drive buried inside him. His only chance was that he told Obi-wan, and he, by some miracle, not only agreed to help him overcome this but also not walk out of his life once he did. There wasn’t much of a choice in truth, Anakin knew what he had to do, but it didn’t make it any easier.

A knock at the door made him jump before he calmed himself and called out for that person to enter. The door opened, and, speak of the devil, Obi-wan walked in. Anakin stood to meet him as he was both relieved and filled with dread at the sight of his old master.

“Anakin, are you alright? I sensed something was off,” Obi-wan greeted as the door shut behind him. 

Anakin couldn’t help the nervous laugh that bubbled up and out of his mouth as he deflated onto his bed. “If by alright you mean my ex-padawan is still missing, presumably in the custody of the most vicious and cruel Jedi-hater of this generation, and my captain is going out of his mind trying to find her then.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right,” Obi-wan sighed as he took a seat on the bed next to Anakin. “How are you? How are you handling all this? I know we haven’t had the chance to touch base much so …” he trailed off.

Anakin was quiet for a moment, and he could feel his jaw tense, and he swallowed to relax himself. “Obi-wan, if I needed you to listen and not say anything until I was done, no matter what I said, could you do that for me?” Anakin asked hesitantly.

“Anakin, what’s this about?” Obi-wan returned. He turned to face Anakin more directly, and Anakin could feel Obi-wan searching his face for answers.

“Obi-wan?” Anakin asked again. He looked down at his hands, comparing the differences between the robotic and the organic limbs.

“You can tell me anything Anakin. Anything at all. If you need me to stay quiet while you do, then I’ll remain quiet. Now, what do you need to tell me?” his old master asked cautiously. Anakin didn’t blame him.

For the next half hour, Anakin told Obi-wan everything. He told him about the Tusken Raiders, his mother, all the times he pushed a little too far or a little too hard for a Jedi. He explained his fears and how watching Rex struggle with the same thing he did on occasion made him realize he needed help. All throughout Anakin’s confession, Obi-wan watched him, not saying anything. By the end, Anakin was sobbing, and Obi-wan had barely blinked.

Anakin fully expected for Obi-wan to get up and walk away at that moment. Instead, Obi-wan reached out and pulled Anakin into his chest. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Obi-wan whispered as he rubbed Anakin’s back up and down soothingly, like he had whenever an extreme nightmare woke him in the middle of the night as a padawan. “I always knew you struggled with your attachments, but I never thought it would get this bad,” he admitted softly. “Anakin, I’m sorry I didn’t help you before, and I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that you had to hide this from me.”

Anakin immediately backed away. “How can you say that to me? After all that I-”

“I’m not saying that what you did was right or that it’s alright that you did something like that,” Obi-wan corrected holding up a placating hand. “It’s not. I’m just saying that you have been struggling with this for a while now, and I should have been there to help you. I should have seen the signs.” Sighing, Obi-wan put down his hand and considered Anakin for a moment. “You know, I think, despite all you just confessed, you’re still a very good person, Anakin. You just … have to work on your control a bit more.”

Anakin gave a small laugh. “Same old story then, huh Obi-wan?”

“I suppose so,” Obi-wan replied. They sat there for a few moments, both caught up in a maelstrom of emotion and thoughts, before eventually getting up to attend to Anakin’s plan.

They would confront Anakin’s darkness, one step at a time.


	53. Ahsoka's Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka had spent many days preparing for her ‘escape attempt.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally have no excuse for not updating sooner other than I had kind of sort of hit a wall in my writing while family obligations rose at the same time. Anyway, I hope you accept my sincere apology and enjoy this update.

Ahsoka had spent many days preparing for her ‘escape attempt.’ She carefully chose the ship and how to sabotage it without making it impossible to navigate. Satine, for her part, gathered all information on the Sith Lord, the war, some Separatist insider-information, and even some evidence of corruption in the Republic Senate. (Dooku insisted because if it somehow got out she came back with a disk, she would need information she could pass off as stolen from Dooku.) While she did this, Dooku apparently holed up in his private office with only his new apprentice (who Ahsoka could swears was watching her despite only seeing flickering shadows when she tried to catch the new assassin) to plan an elaborate way of set up a covert way of communicating to plan the downfall Darth Sidious without being caught. Finally, one day, they were almost finished, having only to test this or that comm, download a few more files, and fuel the ship.

Ahsoka, as she was finishing her part of the plan, felt distracted and a bit sad. It wasn’t anything new. She felt that way on the ship before Grievous captured her and during the days of preparation. She found her thoughts reliably drifted to her captain. She replayed their fight over and over again in her head and found herself wanting more than anything to talk to Rex even if he just yelled at her again. Once, when she was looking for Satine in the garden, she overheard Satine telling Obi-wan how beautiful the flowers were. Ahsoka wondered if she would start doing the same. The more Rex plagued her thoughts, the more confused and frustrated her own feelings made her.

Ahsoka sighed and rubbed her forehead before tossing her tool back into the toolbox beside her. It was clear to her that work wasn’t going to happen, and the final touches had to be perfect if they were going to successfully pull this off. Checking the time, she decided it was time for a break anyway. Walking over to the sink in the corner, she diligently cleaned the grease off her hands before bringing water to pour over her head.

“I see I’m right on time,” called out a male voice from behind her. Turning around, Ahsoka found the Count with a plate of food and a glass of ice water in hand. “It’s about lunchtime. I thought you would be hungry,” he said as he placed both down on a table off to the side of her workspace.

“Thanks,” she gave distractedly as she wiped down her hands and face with a clean rag next to the sink. 

“I know this might not be my place, but is something wrong?” he asked. Ahsoka wanted to laugh. If Yoda himself had told her she would be in this exact situation even a month ago, she would recommend he get a psychological eval and tell Rex for a good laugh afterward. Instead, she shook her head.

“Nothing, just distracted,” she answered noncommittedly, trying to push the last of her captain out of her head for the moment. She found that it became harder and harder to get Rex out of her mind, and he usually snuck back into her thoughts without her notice.

“Ahsoka, even if I didn’t have the Force to tell me, a man of my age has been around enough to know when someone has more going on than just being a bit distracted,” Dooku responded. Dooku then walked over to a stool next to the ship Ahsoka had been working on while he continued, “Sometimes, it is best to talk to someone, so if you have something you need to talk about…” 

They held an expectant silence for a moment before Dooku sighed and rose to leave. Ahsoka didn’t know what made her speak out, but the words came tumbling out of her mouth one way or another, and once she started, she couldn’t stop. “I don’t know why, but it seems that my thoughts keep coming back to this person I know. I can be doing something like fixing the ship or reading a report, be totally focused, and then, out of nowhere, I think about how it would feel to have them beside me or what they would say if they were here which leads to thinking about what they’re doing right then or what they’re thinking about, and every time I think about them I get this weird feeling in my stomach like butterflies but mixed with comfort. And that’s not it. Sometimes, I start thinking about them and find myself smiling to myself or humming. When I’m with them, I feel invincible, and when we’re apart, I feel so _exposed_. That’s how it all started, in fact, but I just thought it was because we served together, but now? I don’t know what’s going on at all.”

Dooku sunk back down to his seat and surveyed her, and Ahsoka wondered what he saw that amused him so much. “I see. And what is this person to you?” he asked as he continued to watch her.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Ahsoka said confusedly. “I mean, they’re my best friend. We know practically everything about each other.” Dooku gestured to another stool in the garage, and Ahsoka sat down so that they were sitting facing each other.

“I mean, if you had to choose one word which describes your feelings towards him best, what would it be? Would it really be ‘friend’?” he asked. Ahsoka felt her eyebrow scrunch up in confusion as she looked at the Count in front of her.

“What do you mean? What exactly are you implying?” she asked, crossing her arms across her chest. Truth be told, she was never comfortable talking about her feelings or potential attachments in her life. Ahsoka blamed being raised mostly by the Jedi because, while they never tried to stifle her emotions, they always advocated logic above all else which typically disallowed for emotions.

“I’m implying you might feel something very different than friendship for this person, that you might unknowingly harbor romantic feelings,” the Count stated calmly, like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. Ahsoka opened her mouth to respond in the negative before she really gave it any thought, but the Count raised his hand. “You don’t have to answer that, but I would suggest you think very seriously about your feelings towards this person and whether they fit within this context. For now, let’s change the topic.” Dooku lowered his hand. “I’ve come up with a way of contact. I’m going to give you a computer chip. Once back in Republic space, you will take the chip and insert it during appointed times so it creates a closed-loop between your communicator and my own. Once done, you take out the chip and hide it in a secure location, preferably on your person or easily within reach.”

“I might be able to hide it in my lightsabers,” Ahsoka offered after a moment of thought. Dooku nodded.

“That might be the best hiding place. Barely anyone would think to dismantle the sabers, and it’s highly unlikely that anyone would notice anything out of the ordinary,” replied Dooku. “Also, I don’t know if you were clear on this or if you were made aware, but Satine will also be going with you.” At that, Ahsoka was surprised. She had assumed that Satine would continue to stay with Dooku (despite her antipathy towards him) so she could work from the Seppie side of the conspiracy.

“Won’t you need help to collect intel?” questioned Ahsoka. 

Dooku smiled and said, “That’s why I have my apprentice and you will have the chip. I think the Duchess would prefer to return for Mandalore which will probably be necessary if we want to take down Palpatine. Besides, if she stays here much longer, she might just lose it. It’s not like the well-known Duchess of Mandalore can covertly gather information in a cantina, so her intel-gathering skills are limited anyway. The use of her abilities will be when she makes an argument for the re-taking of Mandalore.”

“Satine would never approve an invasion of her homeworld,” Ahsoka countered, feeling doubtful. “Palpatine is going to know something is up.” Dooku shook his head.

“Only if Satine doesn’t sell it, and she has always been an ace at politics,” he insisted, as he got up. “Satine says she will have the disk ready within the next three hours. When will you be ready to leave?”

Rising with him, Ahsoka looked at the ship and bit the inside of her cheek in contemplation. “Hour, hour and a half maybe?” she guessed.

“Good,” he replied. “I’ll leave you to it then.” He turned to leave, and Ahsoka turned to the ship to resume work.

The work went well, and Ahsoka finished in a little under an hour. While she waited for news on the disk Satine was finishing, Ahsoka finally ate the food Dooku brought out and thought about what Dooku said. Her thoughts spun around in a circle as she tried to determine if she was in love with Rex. She thought about all the times they had spent talking in his office, the way she felt completely at ease in his presence, how she acted and reacted around him as opposed to Anakin or one of the other boys, how he made her able to move past the horrors of the battlefield. 

Eventually, she had to face facts: she was in love with her captain. The realization filled her with warmth before dread stabbed her and killed the buzz of her realization. She was in love with Rex, and Rex not only probably didn’t return her feelings, but he was so absolutely furious with her that he had basically cut all non-professional connection with her. There would be no secret romance between her and Rex like there was with Anakin and Padmé or a slight flirtation like with Obi-wan and Satine. She would be lucky if he ever talked to her again outside of a mission.

Tears burned the back of her eyes as she swallowed thickly before she grit her teeth in anger. Wiping away any stray tears with her fingers, Ahsoka decided she wouldn’t let go without a fight. Even if he never loved her, she wanted him in her life even if it was only as a friend. Determined to win back his esteem, she began brainstorming ideas for winning Rex over.

Rex had sometimes teased Ahsoka for being so similar to Anakin. It was time for him to see just how similar it was when it came to their loves.


	54. In Which Palpatine is Cautious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palpatine would never admit it, but ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little chapter with Palpatine.

Palpatine would never admit it, but he was nervous bordering on scared. After his meeting with Amidala didn’t turn up anything, he gently reached out to some contacts to see if anyone knew anything. When that turned up nothing, Palpatine considered calling up Amidala again but decided it would seem suspicious. All he could do is wait and observe.

It was quite unsettling. He was used to hiding his rage from people. He had to. If people knew how stupid he knew them to be and how he wanted nothing more than to get rid of the more tedious idiots in the most sadistic ways he could imagine, he would’ve never gotten this far. But he had no experience in hiding his nerves, and the last time he hid his fear was when his master was still alive.

Still, he was determined to appear as normal and nonchalant as possible. He tried to rationalize that he knew something was coming and, until he found out what, he had to be content with waiting and continuing on as usual. To this end, he threw himself into the image of Chancellor he had created around his person, giving speeches about the importance of the Republic, going to the opera and other note-worthy places to enhance the cultured air he tried to give off, being extra kind to senators and guests who came to his office, and other activities he detested.

All the while, he surrounded himself more and more with the people of his inner circle who knew of his plans. He rarely went anywhere with Moore these days and Amedda was almost always with them as well. Curiously, Tarkin seemed to be distancing himself slightly which put Palpatine on edge though he assured himself that the Admiral was totally loyal to him.

Additionally, he considered criticism of his actions as Chancellor far more carefully. Reporters who were slightly suspicious or questioning were tolerable, but those who were either too supportive or too suspicious were carefully neutralized either through some tragic accident or something to discredit them or (in the case of the more notable or vocal) simply disappearing people worked wonders. Senators were a bit trickier, but only in select few cases. For the most part, senators who seemed to be speaking against him were silenced with scandals concerning this or that illegal activity or blackmail. The Jedi were left alone as much as Palpatine hated it, but he couldn’t risk bringing any more unwanted attention, especially from the Jedi. Instead, Palpatine contented himself with his plans to burn the Jedi’s precious Temple to the ground (though he found himself leaning more towards turning it into his own personal palace).

At the moment, Palpatine was standing in his office, looking out the window, and thinking thoroughly about the potential dangers that waited for him. It was infuriating, and it took constant self-control not to let loose lightning from his fingertips. An unwelcome thought entered his mind. What if the Force turned its back on him?

A rage filled him at the very idea. Everything he had done, everything he had accomplished was _his_ and nothing, **_nothing_** , could or would stand in his way. Not the Jedi. Not the Senate. And _not_ the Force. He was a _Sith lord_ , the most powerful person alive. He had planned and schemed so _carefully_ , and he would let nothing trip him up, not when he was so _close_. 

He shook off his trail of thought, labeling it ridiculous. The Force was a tool and the embodiment of his will. It was under his control, just like everything else. A sick self-satisfied smile curled around his face in a blood-curdling manner. He would succeed. Of that, he was sure.


	55. Padmé and Bail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padmé tried to continue business as usual as much as possible.

Padmé tried to continue business as usual as much as possible. She always worried when Anakin and Ahsoka would leave for a campaign, but with the truth about Palpatine circling her thoughts like a vulture over her mind, her anxiety was far more severe. She spent many an evening alone in her apartment, silently thinking through the situation as it stood.

She knew she had to shake it off as best as possible, but it was hard to do. It didn’t help matters that she had just received word that Barriss had been taken from Republic custody. Added to the situation was the fact that Ahsoka had been captured by General Grievous. It seemed like the ground beneath her had spontaneously given out, leaving her in a free fall through darkness and despair, waiting for the ground to reach her. Her only solace at the moment was Anakin and Obi-wan were safe and seemed to be doing well, though Anakin seemed a little off.

Currently, she was in her office, looking over the newest revision to the Clone Bill, when Bail came into her office. While he would appear relaxed and calm to others, Padmé had known him long enough to see the slight undercurrent of urgent focus. Picking up on the need for security and caution, Padmé smiled at her friend as he entered her office. “Bail,” she greeted warmly, “what can I do for you?” 

“Hello Padmé,” Bail returned. He made his way to her desk and sat down in one of the chairs set up in front of her. “I simply wanted to see what you thought of the new revision.” Though his tone was light, his eyes bore into her with their intent clear as the lakes on Naboo. He wanted to know about the progress made against the Chancellor.

“I’m looking at it now, but I don’t have anything to add at the moment,” she returned. Bail nodded solemnly, letting Padmé know he knew what she was trying to say. She was working on it but had so far come up with nothing.

“Very well. Take your time then. This bill is too important to fail,” he said while looking around the room. The subtext of his statement was clear to Padmé: better slow than sorry when it comes to the Sith in the room. Padmé knew Bail too well for that to be all. Bail almost never checked up on a bill like this unless it was a cover for a more important matter, so she waited for him to speak up again. She didn’t have to wait long. “Are you alright?” 

Padmé briefly considered lying or deflecting before scrapping the whole thing. Bail knew her well enough to see through any lie she might offer in her defense. Besides, Bail was the only one at the present moment who knew exactly what she was going through that she could talk to. Padmé snuck further back into her chair with a sigh. “Is that obvious?” she asked as she lifted her face up and closed her eyes.

“Only to your friends,” Bail responded gently. Padmé smiled at his supportive nature. Bail had been a kind fixture in her life ever since she was a young queen trying to get her planet back on track after the Trade Federation’s invasion when he and Breha personally contacted her to see if she needed any assistance. Both had taken on a mentor/friend role in her life, and it often gave Padmé relief from the stress of her life to simply talk to them.

“It just feels like everything is happening at once, doesn’t it? We’ve barely overcome one obstacle for another one to rear its head,” Padmé said simply. Despite what popular opinion might have thought about the queen-turned-senator, Padmé did on occasion reach the end of her rope, and her fierce determination could only stretch so far.

“That’s life for you,” Bail returned. “For what it’s worth, everyone gets like this sometimes, especially people like you who can’t even remember the last time they had a vacation.” As Bail teased her, Padmé could feel her spirits rise a bit.

“I’ll have you know I went on vacation last month,” she retorted. Shifting her head and opening her eyes to look to Bail, she found his mouth turned upwards into a full-blown smile.

“Padmé,” Bail playfully chastised through his laughter, “I know exactly what ‘vacation’ you are talking about. You went to a refugee camp to volunteer. Not exactly the most relaxing place.” Padmé playfully made a face at him, but he was right. Padmé’s ‘vacation’ had been less vacation and more work. It wasn’t a coincidence Padmé had the first draft of a refugee relief plan on her holopad.

They sat still in their laughing silence for a moment before Padmé spoke up again. “Do you think it will ever end?” she asked uncertainly.

“I don’t know,” he said eventually. “The only way to know for sure is to keep going.” Bail checked the time on the clock Padmé had on her desk before standing up. “I’m sorry to be so brief, my friend, but I’m expecting a very important communication soon.”

Padmé laughed, knowing full well the man was referring to his wife. (They made a point to talk every day when apart. Bail softly claimed they spoke about politics, but anyone who had ever seen the Alderaanian couple together wouldn’t buy it.) “Send Breha my love!” she called out to Bail as he left her office, waving her off as he did. After Bail was gone, Padmé, finally able to shake out the gloom, returned to work, more determined than ever to take down Palpatine and to get the clones’ bill through the Senate.


	56. Kix's Solution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a medic in the 501st, Kix had seen more than his fair share of insanity, ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters might be on the shorter side for a little bit. I'm trying to not take from the reunion chapter.

As a medic in the 501st, Kix had seen more than his fair share of insanity, having to be on the frontlines of said insanity more than others. He could go on and on and on about all the antics his brothers, general, and little sister got up to. As such, he developed what he considered a fair system of dealing with bouts of over-the-top insanity: drugging.

To be clear, he never just dosed someone. He would always approach the individual in question and explain why their behavior had to change. If they continued without change, he would give them something to knock them out for a few hours. The actual dosage and method of dosing varied every time, depending on different factors. For example, last time he dosed Jesse, he slipped a low dosage of a mild sedative into his morning caf, knocking him out for only two and a half hours while Fives had been given a shot with enough sedative to keep him down for a day and feel groggy for another two days after his last dose.

On occasion, Kix wondered if he was doing the right thing dosing his brothers. His wonderings never lasted longer than a few minutes before a shiny came running in yelling about this or that emergency. (If Kix never saw another attempted adoption of a wild animal into the battalion, it would be _too soon_. He didn’t care what Skywalker said or how hard Hardcase pleaded with him, a _karking gundark_ is _not_ a **_pet_**.)

So, he here he was, trying (the keyword in this case) to talk some sense into his suicidally self-sacrificing of a captain while he continued his frenzied search of Ahsoka. Rex was staring obsessively at the scene in front of him while Kix stood about a couple feet behind him.

“Rex,” Kix said in dismay, “this can’t go on.” Just looking around the room, Kix spotted subtle signs of immense stress and self-neglect: a trash can full of wrappers for stims and caf rations, a distinct smell of stale flesh usually only found the medbay, the way Rex barely registered anything that wasn’t directly in front of him. Not many were familiar with these signs. These might not seem all that dangerous, but Kix knew better. The trash can was almost overflowing with stim and caf wrappers, but it lacked any signs of food, meaning Rex wasn’t eating. The stale flesh smell found in the medbay was caused by patients who were too injured to bathe, meaning Rex wasn’t bathing. The reason Rex barely registered things to the side meant Rex wasn’t sleeping.

“It won’t. Once I find Ahsoka, I’ll be fine,” Rex replied easily but firmly. It was if he actually believed Kix would let this go. Kix decided he would order a psych eval when he got Rex back to the medbay.

“No, it will stop now. At this rate, you’ll kill yourself before Ahsoka even steps foot on this ship, and you know it,” snapped Kix. Desperate to get Rex to look at him, Kix continued. “Do you really think this will bring her back? That she would want this?”

Kix felt the hand at his throat right before he crashed into the wall. “Don’t. Don’t you dare,” growled Rex. “Don’t you dare _even insinuate_ that.” Rex let go and had already turned around and gone back to his previous position before Kix had even reached up to check the damage to his neck.

“I wasn’t. You know that,” Kix said softly. “But Rex, she always hated it when you pushed yourself too far, and if she were here right now, she’d be telling you the same thing.” Kix started to creep toward Rex quietly.

“If she were here, I wouldn’t need to do this, so if that’ll be al-” Rex said before he stopped. He had turned around right as Kix pushed the needle for the sedative into his shoulder. Rex’s eyes widened, and Kix could see how tired he looked. Kix would never forget the look in his brother’s eyes as he realized what was happening: it was like he was begging Kix to stop the sedative, but it was more than that. It was like he was begging to be saved.

Kix never really felt bad about drugging his brothers. He never did it unless he had to and never for longer than necessary, but something about Rex’s facial expression in the seconds before he passed out would haunt Kix in the coming days, not unlike the brothers he lost.

Shaking his head, Kix picked up Rex by placing one of Rex’s arms around his neck and shoulders and placing one Kix’s own arms around Rex’s frame. Once he got to the hall, he quickly placed Rex on the prepared medical cot. Kix decided that just a few days in the medbay would give Rex the time he needed to recover. Hopefully, when he woke up, Kix could present him with some good news about Ahsoka. Last time he had to knock out the captain, he woke up … grumpy.


	57. Cody vs CC-2224

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a group of men who literally shared genetics, training, and a face, clones had a variety of identities, ...

For a group of men who literally shared genetics, training, and a face, clones had a variety of identities, or that’s how Cody saw it at least. There were times he was Cody, a good friend and brother who laughed and chewed the breeze with his _vod’e_ , or Commander, a high-ranking soldier in the GAR working to overthrow one of the greatest evils to ever step onto the galactic stage, or CC-2224, a loyal clone who followed the orders given to him by his betters.

In the days after learning about the Chancellor’s treachery, Cody saw CC-2224 as apart and distant from himself, in direct competition of Cody and the Commander. Suddenly, the separate identities which made up himself and helped him stay balanced were in all-out warfare against each other. He found himself looking at the Republic and wondering, not about anything, in particular, just wondering. He wondered about what was true and what was a lie, about why he was created and why he was alive and why he wasn’t dead, about the war and what its true causes were and how much of it was just Sith interference. These thoughts belonged to Cody, not CC-2224 or Commander, neither of them was ever interested in these philosophical dilemmas, but Cody was, and as CC-2224 and Commmander fought for dominance over the other (the Chancellor or the Republic), Cody’s thoughts prevailed over much of others’.

He also found himself being more and more protective of his brothers and friends as Cody gained on the other two. He was still performing his duty as usual, but his reasons for doing what he did changed. He couldn’t really bring himself to care about evil Seppies versus the virtuous Republic anymore. It didn’t seem to matter, not as much as his men. So, in addition to his wonderings, he made a point to do all he could for his men. He went over battle plans more than he used to (and that was saying something), he went out of his way to meet shinies and prepare them for battle, he made sure to check in on them and make sure they were okay, he even did the menial jobs that he hadn’t done since he was a cadet before the war like cleaning guns and doing armory inventory (to be fair, he liked those things for their monotony and just hadn’t done them because they were ‘inappropriate for his rank and station’ but still).

In fact, while he was doing one such menial job (laundry if it matters), a trooper came running up to him frantically and did a double-take. Hesitantly, the trooper slowly asked, “Commander Cody?”

“Yes,” replied Cody, not bothering to look from the towel he was folding.

“What are- Nevermind,” said the trooper as he shook his head. Back on track, the trooper continued, “General Skywalker’s plan worked, and we have a fix on Commander Tano’s location!”

Laundry completely abandoned and forgotten, Cody immediately turned to the trooper in full trooper mode. “Where.” It was more demand than question.

“That’s just the thing: Commander Tano’s location changes every few seconds,” reported the trooper. Cody didn’t need an explanation and immediately pushed past the trooper to make a run to the bridge as fast as possible, the poor confused trooper close on his heels.

“Where does it look like they’re taking her,” demanded Commander Cody as he quickly made his way to the bridge while the trooper tripped after him.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you. It looks like they’re bringing her back,” the trooper panted out, stopping Cody dead in his tracks.

“They’re bringing her back here? Into Republic Space?” Cody asked. His attention was entirely focused on the trooper in front of him as he tried to figure out what game the Separatists were playing.

“I-it looks that w-way, sir,” the trooper stuttered, a little intimidated by the Commander’s intense focus.

Cody nodded to himself, before giving a few congratulatory slaps on the shoulder and sending the trooper in front of him to ready a few rescue crews. Either the Separatists were going to try and ransom Ahsoka or she had figured out a way to escape. Frankly, Cody didn’t care which. All he was focused on was getting his favorite little sister back in one piece. Then, maybe, if they were lucky, she could talk Rex down from his self-proclaimed DefCon 1.


	58. Back on the Ship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satine didn’t know how to feel about anything as she and Ahsoka ‘fled’ through space.

Satine didn’t know how to feel about anything as she and Ahsoka ‘fled’ through space. On one hand, she was finally free from her prison to save her people and see her only love again. On the other, she was finally free from her prison to save her people and see her only love again. The task ahead of her was daunting, and she wasn’t sure if she could withstand the pressure. 

So, Satine sat patiently and contemplatively on the sidelines, barely taking note of Ahsoka as she ‘crashed’ the ship in Republic space and sent out a distress call. Soon, Republic forces had arrived, and by the looks of the paint (and the way one man called ‘Fives’ had picked up Ahsoka in an obvious sign of a joyous reunion between friends), the men who picked them up were 501st troopers. The troopers loaded her and Ahsoka up into their own ship and took them back to their battleship. 

Once on the battleship, they landed on a private dock for which Satine was thankful. While she normally looked every inch the Duchess of Mandalore, to make their escape believable, she had given up the extravagant dress in favor of more appropriate (read dirty and tattered) clothes. She wasn’t indecent, but someone would definitely not recognize her as the Duchess of Mandalore unless they had seen her during her days on the run.

As the ship’s ramp lowered to allow passengers off, Satine felt a small bud of panic blossom in the pit of her stomach, causing her to watch from the edge of the ramp as Ahsoka ran as nearly her full speed straight into her old master and friend. She listened to the two of them hug and laugh from the ship which lessened her new-found anxiety though it was not yet gone. Her heart nearly broke all over again while simultaneously flying with joy when she heard a familiar, older, and thoroughly amused voice chime in.

“Ma’am?” asked a trooper off to her side. Shaking her head, she gave him what she hoped would a convincing yet soft smile.

“You’ll have to forgive me, soldier, but it seems I’m a little unfocused today. Must have something to do with all the excitement,” she replied quietly. Giving one last smile to the man, she finally descended the ramp, trying very hard to not fall to pieces. She supposed part of her wished she could slip past Obi-wan without notice, but it didn’t matter. Satine would never forget the automatic shift in his face as it become unreadable once he saw her.

“Satine?” he probed quietly. She nearly closed her eyes in ecstasy of her name on his tongue, but his icy blue eyes, which were so often full of mischief and laughter, bore into her with a searching intent. She didn’t know he was looking for, but she did feel painfully aware of every speck of dirt on her body.

Beating back the impulse to run away or wrangle her hair into a more presentable look, Satine gave her Jedi love a small half-smile. “Hello there.”


	59. To the Medbay!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka was thankful ...

Ahsoka was thankful Anakin had deemed it alright for both Satine and herself to get settled before they got debriefed. As she watched Obi-wan escort Satine to her temporary quarters, practically glued to her side no less, (She and Anakin were going to have so much fun teasing him!) she subtly (well, as subtle as it gets with her, Anakin, and Obi-wan) asked Fives where Rex was. She expected teasing and jokes and laughter, but Fives only gave her a thoughtful look and told her where he was. She smiled her thanks and took off running for the medbay for the first time ever. Upon arrival, she understood why she never ran for the medbay.

The medbay was the cleanest compartment on the ship, making it the most offensive to her sense of smell. While the medbay seemed to have a slight smell of cleaner to it, to Ahsoka, the medbay always smelt of heavy-duty bleach, old blood, bacta, and death, making her queasy upon arrival and dizzy if she stayed too long. (She had passed out once after staying in the medbay for too long. After Kix found out the effect the smell of the medbay had on Ahsoka, she became the only person he allowed/commanded to recoup in their personal quarters. Obi-wan had been pressuring the 212th’s medic for the same privilege since he found out.) Now, Ahsoka made a habit of checking in with her wounded troopers, of course, but the men were very aware of the effect of the medbay had on Ahsoka, so she was never there for maybe an hour before she was shooed off. That was about to change.

She quickly made her way to Rex’s bedside, finding her captain fast asleep with an IV in his arm. (Ahsoka would never tell anyone, but something felt _so **right**_ when she called Rex hers.) Usually, he looked so sharp and focused, soldier through and through, with his head held high and shoulders back, something Ahsoka had always admired (and perhaps found attractive). At the moment, Ahsoka thought it was the only time she had ever seen him look at peace.

“He damn near killed himself over you, you know,” said a voice. Looking up, she saw Kix watching her intently. “I had to give him a sedative just so he didn’t. He wasn’t sleeping or eating or bathing. He only looked for you.” 

It felt like a gut punch, and Ahsoka was pleased she didn’t grab her stomach out of instinct though she couldn’t stop the wince. She gave a quick glance to Rex before returning her attention to Kix in front of her. “Do you know when he’ll wake up?” she asked hopefully. 

Kix seemed to weigh his options as he considered her question. “He should be awake in about twelve hours at the latest. Truth is, because of all the stims and caf he ingested, he could wake up anytime between now and then.”

Nodding more to herself than in recognition of Kix’s appraisal of the situation, Ahsoka once more turned her attention to her captain. “I want to be here when he wakes up.”

Kix immediately jumped into full-medic-lecture mode. “Ahsoka, there’s no telling when he will wake up,” Kix reprimanded, “and you have a sensory sensitivity that prohibits you from -”

“I said,” Ahsoka interrupted without looking at Kix, “I want to be here when he wakes up. I don’t care what it takes.” While Ahsoka couldn’t see him, she could almost hear Kix glare at her before turning around. It seemed Kix had had enough of suicidal superiors for one campaign.

Once they were alone, Ahsoka took a seat next to Rex, watching him as he slept. For once, she didn’t smell the medbay’s harsh cleansers and the remains of old patients and wounds. Instead, the invigorating scent that belonged to Rex (blaster grease and 501st paint mixed with smoke and metal and something so uniquely Rex) sent her spiraling on her own high. There was a small hint of caf and stims, but it was still enough for Ahsoka to feel relaxed and safe.

She didn’t know when she reached down and grabbed his hand, but she suddenly looked down and found her thumb rubbing circles into the side of his wrist. She smiled, and, out of curiosity, she let her fingers slide into his hand and between his own fingers. She was elated when they fit perfectly together. As she held his hand, she took in all the little details of him, things she already knew but rarely consciously acknowledged like his callouses from holding his blasters or the little blond whiskers that sprouted whenever he skipped a shave or how soft his lips looked.

Suddenly, she wasn’t content with sitting in a chair next to his bed. For some reason she didn’t really care to identify at the moment, the chair was unacceptably far away from him, so she did what any rational person would have done: she crawled into bed next to him. 

Lifting the thin medbay blanket enough for her to squeeze in, she snuggled carefully into his side, going so far as to place her head on his shoulder. Reaching up to put her hand on his cheek, she double-checked to make sure she was not hurting him and smiled when he seemed to lean into her touch and smile. She drew her hand down and placed it on his chest so she could feel his heartbeat under her palm. As she relaxed fully into him, putting her nose right where his shoulder met his neck and amplifying the effect of his scent on her sensitive nose, her eyes began to droop and her breath deepened. As she laid there, pressed against him and intoxicated from his familiar aroma, she gently fell asleep though she could’ve sworn she felt an arm twist around her and pull her closer to Rex.


	60. A Little Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan didn’t know what he felt ...

Obi-wan didn’t know what he felt except dizzy from off all the circles he ran in his mind. He had taken Satine to the _Negotiator_ to clean up (Apparently, due to the _Resolute_ being the epicenter of the rescue efforts for Ahsoka, there was no room for the Duchess at that time, or so Anakin claimed. Obi-wan suspected Anakin just wanted to ‘help’ Obi-wan.) and promptly sat down, trying to process what was happening. Going over and over his memory of Satine’s ‘death,’ he tried to pinpoint how he messed up. So focused on his thoughts and memories, he didn’t notice Satine walking back into the room.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked while surveying the room. It was a small compartment, not exactly what she would have come accustomed to as the Duchess of Mandalore, but it was better than most officers’ quarters. Obi-wan hoped she would be comfortable. He owed her that.

“It doesn’t matter. How are you feeling?” he returned gravely. Obi-wan knew he was behaving weirdly. Usually, he would have given a teasing reply, maybe have flirted with the blonde woman, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be lighthearted, not in the presence of the woman he had failed in so many ways.

“Fine,” she answered slowly. She had turned to face him straight on, giving him a once-over, though Obi-wan thought he detected a flash of pain in her dazzling eyes. He still remembered the first time he saw those beautiful eyes: even through the distrust and the decidedly unimpressed look they held, her pale blue eyes shone and glittered like freshly fallen snow on a mountaintop at dawn. “How are you?” she finally asked.

He looked down at his hands, unable to see whatever judgment Satine held for him in her eyes. “I’m … fine,” he gave lamely. 

He heard Satine sigh and her footsteps before she knelt down in front of him. “Obi-wan, I know you better than that, so please don’t lie to me,” she said as she placed a hand on his cheek only to remove it when he flinched. Sighing again, Satine put her hand through her hair. “I thought about you.”

At that, Obi-wan’s gaze snapped up to Satine’s face to find her starring directly at him with a tentative smile on her face, like she was afraid to upset him. _Him._ “Really?” he asked incredulously.

“Yes,” she laughed. “There was this little gazebo in the garden I was allowed to spend my time. It reminded me of you. I didn’t care for much during my captivity, but I love that little gazebo.” She looked down, smiling as she reached for his hands as they rested on his knees. Bringing one to cup her cheek, Obi-wan thought his heart might burst when she turned her head to kiss his palm that was still held in her grip. “I spent as much time as I could there.”

Suddenly, everything Obi-wan _wanted_ to say but not burden her with came pouring out of him like water. “Satine, I’m so sorry- No, let me finish.” He held up a hand at her attempt at protest. “I’m so _so_ sorry. You’ll never know how much. If I had thought, even for a moment, that you were still out there, I would never have given up. I would’ve scoured the galaxy for you. You have to believe me.”

His pleas did not fall on deft ears as a sad smile graced her face and tears appeared in her eyes. “I know,” she whispered before she pressed another kiss into his palm. “I know.” 

Silence hung between them as they seemed to be content in their current situation. Satine leaned into Obi-wan’s hand as his thumb gently ran back and forth over her cheek. “I still love you,” he muttered, almost without his permission, not really caring about any code of conduct at the moment so long as she was safe, here, with him.

“I still love you too,” she admitted. He wasn’t quite sure who started the kiss. He didn’t see Satine moving forward, but he also didn’t remember moving himself. Either way, their lips met in a whirl of longing and reassurance. Next thing he knew, they were lying on their sides on the cramped bed meant for one, still kissing and holding on to each other as they seemed to try to make up for lost time. They only stopped when the need for air was too much and broke apart only enough for a single breath to separate them.

Still reeling from their kiss, Obi-wan placed his forehead against Satine’s own, bringing his hands from behind her head down to her waist and enjoying the feel of her in his arms alive. Her own arms circled his neck which just pressed their chests together. She gave a hum of contentment when he began to run his hand up and down her back, and a small chuckle escaped before he could stop it.

“What?” she asked, not opening her eyes to look at him, but rather snuggling closer into him.

“Nothing, you’re just perfect,” he said, reaching up to push some of her pale hair out of her face. 

At that, Satine opened her eyes and moved back some to give Obi-wan an annoyed look though Obi-wan knew she didn’t mean it by the smile on her lips. “I am not perfect, Obi-wan,” she playfully insisted.

“Of course you are,” he teased. “What with your beautiful blue eyes-” 

“Oh stop it,” she laughed, pushing lightly on his chest only for her hands to be caught in his.

“Let me finish,” he responded seriously. “Now where was I? Oh yes. Your beautiful blue eyes, your wonderful mind, your determination.” He gave little butterfly kisses as he listed her attributes. “I could go for the rest of my life and still never list all the ways you are living perfection.” Satine only rolled her eyes at the Jedi before reaching up to place a light kiss on his lips in response.

The two wanted to stay there forever, intertwined with each other, but they both knew better.

“We should get up,” Satine finally said. Contrary to her words, she didn’t move, and neither did Obi-wan.

“I know,” he said instead. After a minute or two, they slowly and reluctantly broke away and got up. As they straightened themselves out, fixing their hair and rearranging their now slightly wrinkled clothes, they didn’t dare look at the other for fear of falling back into bed for good.

“Obi-wan, where does this leave us?” Satine asked shakily yet bravely. Turning to face her, Obi-wan felt himself fall apart a bit. Satine had posed herself to seem powerful and ready to hear what he said, but just like she knew him well enough to pick out his lies, he knew her well enough to know she was hoping on every star for him to say something good.

“Satine,” he started, going to close the distance only to stop when she took a step back. “Satine, I love you, but you know that it’s complicated.” She didn’t flinch, but she did look away like she was trying to hold back tears. Obi-wan took this opportunity to wrap her in his arms. “I’m going to leave the Order, _soon_. I promise, but I have something I need to do first.”

Satine had snapped her gaze back to Obi-wan as soon as he said he was going to leave the Order. “What is it?” she asked.

Obi-wan sighed. He knew he should talk to Anakin and Ahsoka first before telling Satine, but he trusted her and knew she could be a valuable ally should they play their cards carefully. “There’s a Sith in the Senate,” he admitted reluctantly.

“Oh Obi-wan,” Satine said sadly with her hand on his cheek. “I know.”


	61. What Happens in the Medbay, Stays in the Medbay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up in the medbay was always disorienting.

Waking up in the medbay was always disorienting. It didn’t matter how one ended up there. Even troopers who knowingly fell asleep in the medbay would wake up confused for a few seconds if not more.

For Rex, he got the usual sensitivity to light, but he smelled none of the usual smells of the medbay. Instead, he smelled the scents of clean icy water and burning firewood twinged with ozone and sea salt. On top of that, something was halting his mobility. At first, he thought Kix had actually tied him down, but he quickly realized someone was actually in the bed with him when they snuggled deeper into his side. 

Once he could bear the brightness of the lights, he looked down, not knowing who he expected but definitely shocked to see Ahsoka sleeping peacefully tucked into her side. One of her hands laid on his chest over his heart, and he was surprised in hindsight his hammering heartbeat didn’t wake her. He felt her waist in his right hand, and he couldn’t help but reach around pull the thin sheet the Republic provided for the medbay blanket up over her shoulders before carefully sliding his hand back under the sheet and pulling her closer. Rex hated himself for this act of weakness, but he couldn’t help but revel in the sensation of her body pressing against him. Closing his eyes to truly soak up the feel of her, he nodded back off.

The next time he woke up, it was because Ahsoka was wriggling beside him. As she stretched next to him with his arms still wrapped her, she gave a small smile. “Hey, I heard you were looking for me,” she joked sleepily. 

And just like that, all the anger he felt at her abandonment, all the guilt he experienced at his attack on her in his office, all despair he lived while he searched for her, all of it slipped away. (She had that effect on him. After particularly bad battles, somehow she would say something, sometimes a joke, other times an observation, a few times she gave him a reassuring and reinforcing statement about their part in the war, but she would say something, and it would be like the dawn that ended the dark and cold night.) They had their problems to work out, but those didn’t matter right that second.

“It’s good to see you, Rexster,” she said, looking up at him from her spot on the tiny bed.

“It’s good to see you too, ‘Soka,” he replied, happy to have her back. As sleep slinked out, Rex’s head cleared. When he began to sit up, Ahsoka took the hint and swung her feet over the side while still staying as close as possible to him without sitting on his lap. “What’re you doing here? I thought Kix banned you from the medbay,” he joked.

“I know, that’s why I’m here. Have to show ‘em who’s boss, ya know?” she joked back. Rex just rolled his eyes at her antics. It felt good to joke with her after so long, yet they joked like nothing had changed. They just fell back into their old song and dance like no time had passed. “How’re you feeling?” she asked, reaching out to put her hand on his far shoulder. 

Looking back at her, Rex noticed that under the concern for his wellbeing that he had come to admire from her, he found something else. It was more intense and ardent than concern or worry, but he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) put a name to it. “I’m good,” he said slowly. “A little groggy, but that’s to be expected. How are you?”

Ahsoka smiled at him, and her hand slid down slightly. “I’m okay. Kix gave me a clean bill of health earlier, but I wanted to be here with you when you woke up. Maybe mitigate some of that anger towards Kix for knocking you out.” 

Rex suppressed a wince at that and looked down. He knew it was mostly a joke, but the idea she stayed for some other reason besides seeing him pained him. _Not that he deserved her attention,_ whispered a small voice in his head.

“Rex,” prodded Ahsoka, “I know that-”

“-I’m sorry,” he blurted out, and Ahsoka jumped a little at how abrupt he was being. He couldn’t help it though. With eyes shut tight and head hung, he continued on. “I’m sorry for that stupid fight and everything I said. I’m sorry for not watching your back on the mission. I’m sorry I couldn’t find you. I’m sorry I didn’t bring you back. I am so so _so_ -”

“Hey!” Ahsoka exclaimed. In an instant, Rex stopped. Not because she cried out, but because she had whipped her other hand up under his chin and pulled his face up to face her. She had also moved up close and personal, leaving only a few inches between them while her hand moved from his chin to cup his cheek. “I’m sorry too. I should’ve apologized for stepping out, but I was freaked out and only thinking about how hurt _I was_ without thinking about all the people _I was hurting_. As for the mission and finding me and all of it, Rex, you can’t hold that against yourself, okay? The only reason I was even able to get back here is because of everything you and Anakin had taught me. You still played a major role in helping me escape, Rex. You mean so much to me. Don’t you ever forget that.” 

He couldn’t help but smile though he definitely felt tears well up in his eyes. It just felt so wonderful to hear her say all that. “Thanks, Ahsoka,” he mumbled.

Ahsoka jumped up to hug him, lunging forward with her whole body just like her people were known for. “You’re welcome Rex,” she whispered warmly into his ear.

Rex had just gotten over his shock enough to return her hug when he heard a throat clear. Looking up, he saw his general with what he hoped was his ‘I’m-going-to-tease-you-about-this-forever’ grin but was probably his ‘explain-now-or-die-slowly-and-painfully’ smirk.

“Well, well, well,” Skywalker drawled. “Do you two have something to tell me?”

Yep, definitely his ‘explain-now-or-die-slowly-and-painfully’ smirk.


	62. Recalled to Coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wolffe was a simple man.

Wolffe was a simple man. He was a good clone, a good soldier. He liked the routine of the military day, the regulations and rules that broke down everything to a science, and, most of all, the comradery of men who lived and died for the brother that fought beside him. Oh yes, Wolffe was a simple, loyal, military man. 

That said, when he learned the truth about the Chancellor and the war and the whole ugly bit, he had a short lapse in sanity when he considered leaving it all behind and hiding out on some desolate rock in the Outer Rim. Thankfully, the distraction of finding Ahsoka brought him back to his senses. The entire time they were looking, he was too focused on finding her to be pissed off. Now, with Ahsoka on the _Resolute_ , he could finally air his grievances with the 501st.

Down the hallway, he stomped his way to the hanger of his own assigned battleship with his general on his heels. “Commander! Calm yourself!” Plo called as he followed his second-in-command.

“No! No, I get anger is not part of the Jedi way and all that, but _I’m no Jedi_ , meaning I get to be as angry as I want to be!” Wolffe called back over his shoulder, not bothering to slow his pace or otherwise deviate from his current goal.

“Just wait!” Plo yelled, and Wolffe finally stopped and spun to face his general.

“What?” he growled, living up to his name as he snarled in the middle of a busy hallway.

“We have been recalled to Coruscant temporarily,” said Plo evenly, and Wolffe felt the hairs on the back of his end stand up.

“We have?” asked Wolffe, and Plo nodded his confirmation. “Why?” The _’Do they know we know?’_ went unsaid.

“I don’t know,” said Plo. A week ago, Wolffe might not have worried, but a week ago, he didn’t know the Chancellor was a Sith lord. Shifting his weight between his two legs and licking his lips, Wolffe scanned the hallway for anyone who looked suspicious.

“Does this have anything to do with our part in searching for Ahsoka just now?” Wolffe asked, silently cringing at how he felt the need to clarify that he meant this search. He felt sweat starting to pour from his skin

“I don’t know,” Plo replied again, and Wolffe fought the urge to react physically where he might be watched.

“Alright, I’ll get the boys on it,” Wolffe said with what he prayed was an even tone. When he turned to walk away, he felt a clawed hand reach out and grab his shoulder.

“That won’t be necessary Commander,” said Plo gravely. “Only we two have been recalled to our fine capital.” Wolffe turned back to Plo, and he could have sworn he saw the general give his a pensive look.

Sighing, Wolffe straightened himself as best he could, trying his hardest to achieve a bit of calm before he marched off for certain death. “Of course sir. Lead the way. Wouldn’t want to make the Chancellor wait.” One could detect a slight fatalistically sarcastic lilt to Wolffe’s speech. They were so dead.


	63. Anakin Visits the Medbay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Standing at the foot of the bed where his captain and his ex-padawan were reported to have been cuddling in their sleep, Anakin was doing his best to suppress his laughter.

Standing at the foot of the bed where his captain and his ex-padawan were reported to have been cuddling in their sleep and were hugging currently (quite a bit too much like lovers to be friendly in his opinion), Anakin was doing his best to suppress his laughter. He had known for quite a while Rex and Ahsoka had feelings for each other, and he was actually very happy if these two were finally coming together, but he’d be damned if he didn’t play with this a little. After all, Rex shouldn’t be too comfortable around him if he was really going to start a relationship with _his_ Snips. (While Anakin didn’t know it, Obi-wan did the same thing to Padmé and Qui-gon did the same thing to Satine. It was something of an unknown tradition in the Jedi Order for masters to glare/shake down the object of the padawan’s interest so that there would be no misunderstandings.)

“General,” Rex quietly greeted with his arms still around Ahsoka though his grip seemed to have loosened. His tone nor facial expression gave away any fear or anxiety or any other sign of distress, and Anakin had to give it to the guy; it took guts to do that around Anakin in the best of situations, not just passionately hugging his apprentice.

“Captain,” Anakin returned in equal measure. By this time, Ahsoka (who was _still_ sitting as close as physically possible to get to Rex without actually straddling him) had turned to face Anakin with a decidedly peeved expression on her face. Rex, realizing he was still holding Ahsoka in his arms, tried to pull back only for Ahsoka to grab onto his hands to keep him close.

“Skyguy, what are you doing here?” Ahsoka asked. While her words and tone did not necessarily show Ahsoka’s displeasure, her continued glare in his direction most certainly did. 

“Just checking on my comatose captain, and imagine my surprise to find you here with him!” exclaimed Anakin facetiously. Rex had the decency to look a bit embarrassed, but Ahsoka, true to form, lifted her chin defiantly, bold as brass.

“Yeah, what a pleasant little surprise for all of us,” Ahsoka returned with just as much sarcasm as Anakin had given her. Rex’s eyes darted to her like he wanted to warn against angering him but thought better of it. At that, Anakin allowed a small chuckle to escape.

“Well, Kix says you’re both on his shit list and to not even think about ‘committing strenuous, dangerous, ill-advised, or illegal activities’ for at least two weeks, so you’re both on desk duty for the foreseeable future. His words, not mine,” teased Anakin. Rex took Anakin’s announcement in stride like a true soldier, but Ahsoka looked like the cat that got the cream before she shot Rex a smile over her shoulder.

While there were many reasons behind the decision to place the two of them on desk duty for the time being (to give them time to recovery and the opportunity to potentially gather more dirt on Palpatine chief among them), those were mainly perks on that decision. Primarily, Anakin wanted to get the both of them out of harm’s way for a short while despite how hypocritical it was of him (though, in his defense, he had not gotten arrested or captured in any way in the last few months, a streak both Padmé and Obi-wan were beyond grateful for and wholehearted credited the occurrence to the influence of the other).

“Desk duty might be a nice way of catching up,” Ahsoka said to Rex, and Anakin could just tell that Ahsoka had that man wrapped around her little finger.

“Yeah,” Rex gave in response, and Anakin rolled his eyes (internally) at their little antics.

“Don’t get too excited Snips. This is more than just a cushy assignment for you to recover. You two are being pulled from the field for the time being,” Anakin spoke up. Both immediately shot shocked and incredulous looks at Anakin. “What can I say? Apparently, we have found the GAR’s breaking point on tolerating stupidity. Both of you will be assigned official dress uniforms, don't worry, you won't have to actually wear them, and your access to field resources will be severely limited until a thorough review of your actions can be conducted.”

“What does that mean?” demanded Ahsoka. She looked ready to throw Anakin through a solid airlock, and Rex looked ready to let her.

“It means until your records within the GAR have been reviewed by a qualifying member, meaning someone distanced enough away from you and higher in rank, both you will not participate on the ground in any missions.” Anakin, if he was being completely and totally honest, would have admitted that he was a bit afraid for his safety at the moment. “The good news is that your reviewers will be Master Aayla Secura and her second-in-command, Commander Bly.”

“And the bad news?” Rex asked though Anakin knew better than to hold back on such an important matter with such a dangerous man on the other side.

“A review of this magnitude usually lasts about a month if we’re lucky.” Anakin really should have anticipated the blowback on that last order because both Rex and Ahsoka immediately started to argue against their assignments (so much so that Anakin had a hard time following what they were saying). “I know you’re unhappy with this, but it really is for the better. Besides, new orders are to hold our position for the time being.”

Ahsoka and Rex shared a look. The Republic rarely told anyone to hold their position, favoring to push aggressively against the Separatists threat. “Why are we holding our position? We are on the outskirts of Republic territory, but there’s not a battle planned in this sector,” asked Ahsoka suspiciously.

“Obi-wan and I are being recalled to Coruscant,” Anakin replied darkly. As his words sunk in, he saw the fear flash across their faces before they quickly hid behind neutral faces. “I don’t know why we are being recalled or when we will be back, but until we get back, I’m trusting you two to keep things running smoothly for when I get back.” 

Anakin turned to the door, but Ahsoka reached out and grabbed his wrist at the last second. “Anakin.” In that single word, she communicated the depths of her fear. 

Turning only halfway back around to face his ex-padawan and his captain, Anakin gave her his normal winning smile. “Don’t worry, Snips. It’s probably just some super-secret escort or retrieval mission. We’ll be back before you know it.” Turning towards the door once more, Anakin wondered if he believed what he said himself.


	64. From Friends to Lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Bly and Aayla (as she demanded to be called now) had been assigned to review Rex and Ahsoka’s histories within the GAR, he hadn’t thought much of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! A bit of a longer chapter today. Just wanted y'all to know this chapter comes with an alternate ending (which will not affect the overall plot). It's nothing much, just the scene was taking a bit of angsty turn, and I didn't particularly like it, and I thought y'all wouldn't like me very much if this couple also had a 30+ chapter fight. Lol. Anyway, I'll probably post that soon on the one-shots. As always, I love your comments, so don't be afraid to share your thoughts.

When Bly and Aayla (as she demanded to be called now) had been assigned to review Rex and Ahsoka’s histories within the GAR, he hadn’t thought much of it. Honestly, he thought they could knock it out with some light skimming of reports and a couple of official calls to ‘interview’ character witnesses. As long as they didn’t interview Kix or any other medic that dealt with them, they should pass with flying colors. 

However, Aayla had a different approach. She had come to his office with print outs of every report and form they had every filled out (even the kriffing _requisition forms_ ) and a list of people they had ever interacted with in a professional capacity. After everything was gathered into his office, there was barely any room to walk from his desk to the door. At that rate, they wouldn’t even make a dent in the assignment within the week. 

When Bly had asked why she felt compelled to bring out every little thing, she had argued the need, now more than ever, to stick to the regulations. Thankfully, by using her own logic against her, Bly convinced her to get rid of over half of the forms (most were requisitions for more rations or medical supplies signed off by General Skywalker anyway) and cut the list down by eliminating anyone who had only nominal contact with either. Still, it would be a big job though he wasn’t going to give it his all.

As they worked through the reports and forms, Bly skimmed most of it. He read the conclusions, of course, but the little details of his _vod’e_ were lost on him. Good thing too because Aayla was acting extremely weird. She didn’t do anything that Bly could (or would) object to, but she would do little things like get closer than necessary to ask him a question, dipping low so that they were only a breath away, and being freer in her mannerisms and speech so that he received more than one teasing smile or questioning eyebrow raise. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but it almost felt like she was flirting though he refused to even think she would.

This went on for a couple of days, and, fortunately, the work went quickly enough. They still had a ways to go, but Bly was confident that he could finish Rex’s assessment within a week or less if he continued at his current pace. However, it wasn’t meant to be as Aayla walked in after leaving to get them lunch curiously lunchless.

“Hey, where’s the food?” he jokingly asked. (While Bly always tried to remain professional, he also realized that at some point professionalism crossed into rude territory, so he had taken to being freer around Aayla too.) When Aayla didn’t even smile, Bly knew something had happened.

“We need to talk. Follow me,” Aayla said before swiftly turning around and walking out the door of his office with a purpose. Sighing softly, Bly followed her as they made their way to whatever destination Aayla had in mind. He had thought she would take him to the bridge, that something was wrong and they had to prepare for battle, but they missed the turn for the bridge. Then, he thought something had happened with the ships, and they headed for the hangar, but they took a turn towards the barracks and officers’ quarters. Finally, they were at Aayla’s personal quarters.

She punched in the code, and the door opened, and Bly couldn’t help but feel both dread and excitement. On one hand, he had never gotten the chance to see the insides of her quarters (not that he expected much more than necessities), but, on the other, he had no clue what he was walking into. Nevertheless, when she gestured with her hand to go inside, he followed her command easily.

Looking around, the inside was about as much as he predicted: a standard issue bed, a small dresser with a small coffee maker on top (Aayla refused to drink the mess caf and Bly didn’t blame her), a small area set aside for mediation with candles and a small mat, and a door off to the side lead to a private refresher. It was nice, especially to him who still shared an entire room with his brothers. “Nice digs,” Bly said to Aayla while she closed and locked the door behind her.

“Bly,” she called nervously. Turning around to face her, he could tell she was a bit uncertain, and it made him instantly on edge. Aayla was daring and bold and the last person who should experience uncertainty in his book.

He quickly crossed the room and took hold of Aayla at her shoulders. “What’s wrong?” he asked, lowering his head to maintain eye contact.

Instead of answering right away, Aayla leaned into him with her hands on his chest and took a deep breath. “We, you and I, we’ve been recalled to Coruscant. The reason is classified, so I can’t find out what’s going on. We’re probably walking right into a trap.”

A chill ran up Bly’s spine, the kind he got when they were in the middle of the most crucial part of a mission that the intell was _bad_. It spoke of lost brothers and narrow escapes and impossible odds. Only this time, he got the chills beforehand, and he still was going to go. “When do we leave?” he asked.

“Tomorrow morning,” Aayla said before raising her head to look Bly in the eyes which made his heart skip a beat. He wondered if she could feel it with her hands on his chest.

Stepping back and coughing to cover up his slight stumble, Bly nodded his head. “Alright. I’ll have to talk to Galle about needs to be done-”

“I already took care of all of that,” Aayla interrupted while following every step Bly took. 

Confused, Bly blinked while still trying to step away from Aayla, if only for some space to think about something other than the many shades that made up her amber eyes. “Then why did you call me in here?”

“Bly,” Aayla started calmly as she backed him into the wall, “we may very well die very soon. In light of that fact, I don’t want to die with regrets, so I’m going to ask you something. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to, but I ask you to wait to hear me out first.”

“Of course,” Bly said a bit shakily as he was trapped between the wall and the woman of his dreams.

“Spend the night with me,” she gave as she reached up and began kissing up the side of his neck. “I love you, and I want to you to stay the night with-”

Bly didn’t let her finish before he leaned down and kissed her lips gently. He eventually backed off when he didn’t feel her respond, but he didn’t get far before Aayla pulled him back down for a much more passionate kiss. 

For the rest of the day (and into the night), the two thought only of the other, sharing chaste kisses and steamy embraces. In the morning, they would dress to face what they were sure was their graves, but for the moment, in her private quarters, Bly and Aayla were finally able to be together like they had always wanted.

(Just nobody tell Fives. He’s already insufferable towards Bly since the whole thing with Rex. If Bly has to listen to the GAR’s greatest knucklehead go on and on one more time….)


	65. Leaving for Coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan was waiting in the hanger for Anakin with Satine and Cody by his side, ...

Obi-wan was waiting in the hanger for Anakin with Satine and Cody by his side, standing shoulder to shoulder in severe silence. He had already told them only he would be going to Coruscant, arguing that with Ahsoka and Rex on probation, Cody was needed on the ship and that Satine was too important to the future of her people to risk going to Coruscant. They were still trying to find a compromise, a better way so that they could protect him. Thankfully, telling them he was traveling with Anakin, their resident expert in near-death-experiences and surviving impossible situations, went a long way in convincing them to stay behind.

“If things look like they’re heading south, just comm us. We might not be able to get there in time, but I can call in a few favors from some battalions,” Cody insisted, scanning the hanger for anything out of the ordinary. Mostly, there were supply containers off to the sides of the hanger, waiting for loading onto ships, but a small mouse droid could be heard scurrying through the hangar.

“Of course, and when have you ever let me down?” Obi-wan teased with forced bravado. From the looks on both of their faces, he didn’t quite succeed. “Could at least one of you act as if you will see me again? You make it seem as if I’m walking into a trap, and it wouldn’t be the first time for that.”

“No, it wouldn’t,” Satine conceded quietly. She had a distinctly calm attitude the entire time, which lead Obi-wan to think she was not at all calm. He could almost feel the panic bubble in her as she maintained a careful aloof look about her. Perhaps that was the most unsettling thing about this whole mess. Obi-wan wanted nothing more than to wipe away her fears, but he knew there was no way to do that without lying outright, and he wouldn’t do that to her. Discreetly, Obi-wan reached down to hold Satine’s hand, and her tight grip showed just how much she was afraid.

Obi-wan was still trying to find the right words to release his companions’ fears when Anakin’s ship pulled into the hangar. As the ramp lowered, Obi-wan half-expected for his old apprentice to come down cracking jokes and teasing them all like he usually did, but Anakin only offered a small sad smile to them all. 

“I promise, I will do everything I can to keep him safe,” he said to both Cody and Satine once he reached them. Cody solemnly nodded his thanks while Satine mouthed ‘thank you’ as tears in her eyes threatened to drop. Turning to Obi-wan, Anakin’s face became serious. “We have to go now,” he said before turning around to reboard the ship.

Letting go of Satine’s hand, Obi-wan turned to face his love and his commander. “I’ll comm you as soon as I can to let you know what’s happening,” he said to both. “Commander,” he said, turning to Cody, “if by some chance I don’t make it back, please take care of the men, and know it was one my deepest honors and privileges in this life to serve with you.” Cody didn’t reply except to nod with tears in his eyes. After nodding back, Obi-wan took a step closer to Satine and held her face in his hands. “I will do everything I can to come back,” he said simply.

A single tear slid down the side of her face as she leaned into his hands. “It’s not fair,” she said, and she really didn’t have to expand on it. Obi-wan knew exactly what she meant, and, truth be told, he agreed that the Force was being quite unfair with the pair of them, expecting too much and giving far too little, but there was nothing he could do about it then.

Leaning forward, he pushed a light kiss into her forehead while she tried to stifle the rest of her tears, even as her breath became uneven and thick with tears. After a brief eternity, Obi-wan finally had to let go and board the ship behind him. Desperately, he focused on the ramp ahead and not on the muffled sobs from Satine or Cody’s armor rustling as he fidgeted like he did when he was more than ready for a fight.

Once in the cockpit, Obi-wan spared one more look towards those he was leaving behind. They were standing in roughly the same place as before, but they looked awkward now. It reminded him distinctly of the time he was looking for Kamino on a galaxy-wide map when it had been deleted from the Archives’: just like the stars that still hung around the empty space, so too did Cody and Satine stand around where he once was, where he longed to be, where he was _meant_.

Pushing pitiful thoughts aside, he focused at the simple tasks at hand. He helped Anakin ready the ship for take-off, run the calculations for the jump to hyperspace, and other mind-numbing tasks he usually left to droids. (Frankly, he was surprised R2 didn’t try to attack him. He was rather territorial of his duties.)

Anakin, who was uncharacteristically quiet up until this point, reached over and placed his hand on Obi-wan’s elbow. “You’ll see them again,” he said while looking at Obi-wan from the corner of his eye. “Just remember that.”

Obi-wan gave him a smile of thanks which Anakin received with his own smile, softer than his usual aloof smirk before they both returned to their tasks. Obi-wan wasn’t sure if he shared Anakin’s conviction, but he did know he would do everything in his power to make it back to the two people he left on the hanger and to protect his boy beside him. Palpatine had taken too much from him already for anything less.


	66. The Lonely Resolute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka felt like her clothes were two sizes too tight...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am admittedly (and legally) drunk. So I'm not gonna bother with re-reading. If I need to fix something, comment. #wedielikecloneshere #worseyetwedielike501stclones

Ahsoka felt like her clothes were two sizes too tight as she moved through the motions of her duties upon the Resolute stiffly. Nothing was as she planned when she had thought about her return on Serenno. She pictured a tense but important data pass-offs with Satine and Obi-wan, rueful smiles exchanged with Anakin over ship repairs, maybe some light flirting with Rex in an attempt to take their relationship to the next level, not the guilt-ridden desk duty she and Rex were stuck with while Anakin and Obi-wan were summoned to Coruscant and Cody glared at the shinies. Even Satine was acting strange. (She dealt with being a captive of one of the most feared men in the galaxy with a healthy dose of sassy rebellion but Force forbid that anyone else is in danger.)

The hardest part was pretending nothing was wrong. They couldn’t tell the men what was going on (for frankly obvious reasons), and Cody and Rex couldn’t keep it together enough to fool anyone, so Ahsoka was left to pick up the slack. So, Ahsoka was pulling out all the stops and playing up all the tropes of being the clones’ favorite Jedi Commander. She was pulling off pranks, indulging the men in their favorite pastimes, telling her best-embellished war stories for the shinies, telling jokes, and just generally acting her most snippy. On top of that, she was answering as many questions as she dared for the men.

 _Commander, why was Cody in such a foul mood?_ ‘Oh, he got stuck on babysitting duty. Master Kenobi and Skyguy didn’t think we could manage otherwise.’ 

_Commander, where did the generals go?_ ‘Super secret mission from the Chancellor. They didn’t even tell me!’

 _Commander, who is that sad woman you brought on board?_ ‘She was a political prisoner of Count Dooku. When I escaped, I took her with me. She’s upset because she fell in love with me and- Oh shut up Fives! She did too!’

The questions kept coming and coming. At times, Ahsoka felt like she was fending off an entire battalion of battle droids by herself with little reprieve. Usually, she would turn to Rex when she was overwhelmed, but he had also thrown himself into his role as Captain of the 501st, going over paperwork compulsively and going over the ship with a fine-tooth comb, rarely taking breaks for chewing the breeze with her. (She wasn’t going to lie. That was the worst part of having to pretend everything was fine.)

So while they were going about their chores with extra enthusiasm, Ahsoka couldn’t help but feel a bit run down and claustrophobic. Everything just felt so … intense and urgent and too slow. At every turn, she felt herself brace for a crash that would not come. She almost wished that the crash _would_ come, just so she stop bracing.

The first panic attack happened within the confines of the office she was assigned for her desk work. She had been going over medical requests when she received word that Obi-wan and Anakin had made it to Coruscant and suddenly her hands were numb and shaking and she couldn’t control her breathing for the life of her. She didn’t know what was happening, only that she couldn’t stop panting and that her heart was racing and that she wasn’t getting any air despite gasping for air. When it was finally over, she noticed how wet her cheeks were and figured out she had been sobbing for the entire time.

The second panic attack happened when she was alone, walking down an abandoned hallway. She collapsed at the end to the floor and cried into her hands before remembering she could be joined by anyone at any moment. She then picked herself up and somehow made her way back to her room without coming across anyone else until she was right outside her door.

“Commander?” called out an unsure voice. Whipping around, Ahsoka saw it was Brii. She recognized the sweet trooper who made the most beautiful art and who she secretly thought of as a little brother.

“What is it Brii?” she asked while she tried to subtly wipe away her tears.

“Is … Is everything … okay?” he asked hesitantly like he was afraid of being hit. Ahsoka internally sighed. Brii’s first mission with the 501st had been Umbara, and a sweet-natured soul like Brii didn’t exactly thrive on Kamino or in war, so he tended to be a bit skittish at times. 

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka fixed a smile on her face. “Yes, I was just feeling a bit overwhelmed. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Ahsoka turned away from Brii with a smile, fully expecting their conversation was over, when Brii spoke up. “I know something is wrong with the generals,” he spat out. Spinning back around to face Brii, Ahsoka saw the trooper force himself to make eyecontact. “And I know you’re trying to hide it from everyone, which means it’s really bad, but it also means you’re putting more and more pressure on yourself as a way to protect the men, and it’s working for now, but it won’t forever.” As Brii word-vomitted, the point he was trying to make struck Ahsoka deep in her soul even as she tried to deny it. 

“I don’t-” Ahsoka started, crossing her arms to hold herself together as she tried to convince Brii she didn’t need help.

“It doesn’t have to be me,” Brii replied. “It could be anyone, but you really need to talk to someone, Commander.” Ahsoka had heard enough and moved to faced her door to make a quick escape. She only paused when she heard Brii step close to her and mutter, “Commander? The Captain should be in his office right about now.”

She turned to tell Brii off (mostly for being too right), but he was already too far down the hall for it to matter. Standing in front of her door, she thought over the options she had: she could go inside and cry, _alone_ , or she could take some comfort in the form of her best friend in his office. She hadn’t been there since their fight, but it was always a safe space for her before that. It wasn’t that bad things didn’t reach her there, but rather the office made them seem smaller and easily dealt with.

Thinking back on everything that had occurred in recent memory, Ahsoka wondered if she would be welcomed in Rex’s office. They were no longer fighting, sure, but Ahsoka wasn’t sure of where they stood with each other anymore. In the very few interactions she had with Rex since returning to _The Resolute_ , they all seemed awkward somehow. It like trying to communicate with him while on two different frequencies. They just didn’t click like they used to.

When she was just outside his office, memories of the fight and other memories came flooding through her mind, as if her brain decided she needed a refresher course. For no reason whatsoever, she felt ice in her spine as she realized that this visit would be different whether she liked it or not for so many reasons. Shaking off her nerves (as she stubbornly decided that no, nothing changed), she forced herself to knock loudly on the door.

“Rexster!” she called out with as much nonchalance as possible. “Got a sec?”


	67. Fox Wants Sleep and A Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fox was not expecting the faces of grim determination on the generals’ faces.

Fox was not expecting the faces of grim determination on the generals’ faces. He didn’t know what he was expecting exactly (too tired to care), but four Jedi masters (okay, three and a knight, but Fox couldn’t care less at this point to argue what seemed to him to be semantics) and two ride-or-die clone commanders coming off their respective ships like they were facing off with Death himself was not it. He might have been concerned if he had enough energy to register his own emotions.

“Generals,” he greeted as calmly as possible, “please follow me.” With that, Fox turned and made for a meeting room from within the compound he had set aside for this precise meeting. While he never turned around to make sure he was being followed, he could still feel the tension in the six commanders.

Turning off the main hall into one of the corridors that was a bit out of the way (just enough one wouldn’t think to look down there unless they had insider intel), Fox walked maybe twenty feet before opening an unsuspecting door and motioning for the Jedi and their counterparts to enter. The room was just like any Republic meeting room: a long polished table with equally polished chairs stationed equidistant from each other stood in the middle. Light fixtures were found along the walls, shining a light on the sleek silver walls and dark furniture where absolutely necessary to break up the monotony of the room.

With great trepidation, each person slowly entered the room and sat at a large table inside. Fox, who was the last to enter, closed and locked the door behind him. Under the direct and constant supervision of the others in the room, Fox pressed a few buttons on a panel above the locking mechanism for the door, and a slight buzzing entered the room as if he turned on a white noise machine.

Fox started to cross the room to get one of the chairs set where he could see all the room’s occupants. “Now, I’m sure you all have questions, but-” Fox started.

“Why are we here,” snarled an angry Wolffe. Fox, somewhat used to his brother from training on Kamino together, merely blinked when General Koon didn’t do anything to calm his second-in-command.

Fox waited for anyone else to say something before sighing. “I can’t tell you too much, but military powers have been stripped from the Chancellorship for the time being.” Immediately, everyone jumped up and started to ask a million questions with a focus on Fox’s newest development. (It was times like this he wished he just walk off. He had heard of something called ‘vacation’ that meant days without working. It sounded like a prank, but he had to look into it.) “I’m afraid,” Fox had to shout to be heard, “that I can’t give you any more information than I’ve already given. I would’ve simply sent a memo, but protocol dictated I call a bunch of secret meetings and delegate the powers of the military as I see fit until the proper proceedings take place. That’s literally all I’m allowed to tell you for security purposes, but on a personal note, does anyone know anyone in the navy I can trust? I’m so tired and about to name one of the shinies Grand Admiral of the Grand Navy of the Republic just to get some sleep.”

All hell broke out again around him, but Fox was Done. He had carefully and painstakingly arranged for meetings with all notable and relevant officers of the military for weeks now, disclosing the situation where necessary, as protocol dictated, and now he was finally Done. (He threw a dark side desk an interested glance, wondering if the senators and their obsession for sealing deals with liquor had touched this room yet.)

“Commander Fox,” called out a bewildered Skywalker. Fox rolled his eyes towards the somewhat annoying (at least at the moment) man and nodded to show he acknowledged him. (At this point, only Jango Fett himself could get Fox to do anything more.) “Are you telling us that the Chancellor is no longer in power?!” Skywalker demanded.

“Yeah, just don’t tell him that,” Fox responded and then promptly waved them all off. “Just coordinate a bit more than usual, and we should be fine. Out.” Not waiting for the room to clear, Fox got up, opened the first cabinet he got to, picked a bottle at random, and walked right out.

As he walked down the hallway to his quarters to get some well-deserved sleep, Fox took a sip from the bottle and thanked whichever senator had a taste for whiskey.


	68. What Now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin stood in the mess in front of a sea of faces staring back at him...

Anakin stood in the mess in front of a sea of faces staring back at him. Different expressions reached out at him: anxiety, fear, anger, focused. Looking out at the ocean of men looking back at him, Anakin never hated protocol more in his life.

“Everything is fine, men. We were simply part of a highly classified briefing,” Obi-wan said coming up behind him. The men wouldn’t notice, but Anakin had heard the subtext of Obi-wan’s tone and winced. The tone alone reminded Anakin of too long lightsaber training sessions and lessons Anakin really should have learned the first time.

Obi-wan made a dismissing gesture, and, as if they were there for every time Obi-wan had to remind himself that good Jedi masters did not yell obscenities, the men immediately dissipated, apparently satisfied with Obi-wan’s reassurances or not curious enough to push it. (Anakin didn’t blame them.)

Out of the crowd, Ahsoka’s form pushed forward and came flying at Anakin who caught her happily. Anakin even heard Obi-wan give an amused and relieved sigh. 

“Hello, Ahsoka, I trust the men were not too unruly without us,” Obi-wan commented lightly from the side before Ahsoka pulled him into their embrace. Anakin might have expected him to try to pull away, but he just turned to hug both Ahsoka and Anakin.

“We have so much to tell you,” Anakin whispered to Ahsoka after a beat, his words full of double-meaning. By the way Anakin felt Ahsoka nod her head, she understood what he meant. Pulling back, Ahsoka traded looks with Rex and Cody, and the small command group made their way to Anakin’s office. (As general of the 501st, Anakin was given special rooms for the purpose of highly confidential and sensitive information. Obi-wan made jokes about it for the first half of the war.) Waiting there at the door was Satine (who looked a very interesting blend of ecstatic to see Obi-wan and murderous for all the worry she felt while he was gone) with a trooper who quickly turned and left upon their arrival.

Once everyone was inside Anakin’s office, he secured the room while Obi-wan swept for bugs. After everything was set up and working to their satisfaction, Obi-wan turned to Anakin and gave him an ‘after-you’ gesture with his hand.

Rolling his eyes, Anakin explained what happened to all present, watching as the disbelief crowded the faces of his second-in-command, his ex-padawan (who was still his padawan, thank you _very_ much), his old master’s second-in-command, and his old master’s Mandalorian girlfriend. Not one for flowery expressions, Anakin wrapped his explanation in under a minute.

For a solid five minutes after Anakin spoke, no one spoke, before everyone started yelling at each other, not really angry at each other but needing to vent about the absurdity they were forced to deal with. Looking over to the side, Anakin saw Obi-wan had found a bottle of scotch Anakin was saving. (It was a gift from some grateful mayor in one of the worlds he fought. Anakin couldn’t remember where exactly, but it was somewhere known for their scotch. Knowing the bottle was very expensive (like selling your spaceship to afford it expensive) and knowing scotch was a favorite of Obi-wan’s, Anakin was saving it for either the worst day of the war or the last day, whichever came first.) 

After the scare they had, it seemed like a good idea, so they poured two glasses and waited. As the other yelled and raged themselves dry, more glasses were poured until they were all accounted for. (Satine was the last one to finish, and only Obi-wan was left unsurprised by the sheer amount of anger she could express.)

“So, what do we do now?” asked Cody to a silent room as people sipped their drinks.

Obi-wan took a deep breath and sighed before answering. “I suppose we have to continue as normal,” he said evenly. 

“And what’s normal again?” Rex asked scornfully. Under almost any other circumstance, he would be able to hide his exasperation and overall apathy for the entire situation, but Anakin could tell he had been pushed to his limits on this one. They all had, and there _hadn’t been any danger._

“Well, that’s simple Rexster,” Ahsoka supplied snippily. Anakin gave a smile at her light barbs. “We save the day, stop the bad guy, look good doing it, you know, our normal.” While it didn’t necessarily get full-bellied laughter or knee slaps, Ahsoka’s jokes were met with small smiles and warm glances.

Anakin didn’t know how they were going to stop the Chancellor or end the war, but he hoped that so long as they could still come together and smile, they still had a shot.


	69. The Life of the Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padmé took a slow look around the room ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I have been a little AWOL. I have every intention of finishing this fic, but it might be a while between updates. To be honest, I got into another fandom since starting this fic (though Star Wars will always be a well-beloved favorite of mine) and started a fic in that area. Also, this semester is already WAY tougher than any semester previous and my anxiety is starting to take physical form in the shape of constant nausea and fatigue. (If anyone has any suggestions for that or time-management, please comment below.) I will try to publish as often as possible, if only to update you on progress.

Padmé took a slow look around the room while pretending to sip on her wine. At the moment, she was attending a ‘small soireé’ at Bail’s Coruscanti apartment. Breha was here, giving them the appropriate cover, but both women knew what they were really there for: their coalition.

The plan to overthrow Palpatine was simple. By utilizing public opinion surrounding the war, the coalition would get Palpatine blamed for the rising costs of the war and propose a vote of no confidence. If that managed to work, Palpatine would be arrested and tried for high treason. Padmé had her doubts, but it was the best they had. After all, they still wanted to have their society when they got rid of the sith lord in question.

“Padmé!” someone called from behind her. Turning around, Padmé gave a small smile to Breha as her old friend made her way over. “It’s so good to see you,” Breha said as she gave Padmé a tight hug. During her days as Queen of Naboo, Padmé and Breha had forged a lifelong friendship off of their similar positions. It was partly because of their friendship that Bail had reached out when she first joined the Senate. 

“Breha! I couldn’t agree more,” Padmé said softly. Pulling back, Breha gave Padmé a knowing look, and Padmé had to swallow the ball of emotion forming in her throat.

“How are you?” Breha asked gently as she led Padmé to a more private place to talk. To anyone else, it would look like two old friends catching up at a party, Padmé knew Breha was really making sure she didn’t get overwhelmed (for which she was thankful for).

“I’m well,” Padmé replied in the same tone as Breha, knowing Breha would see through her. In reality, Padmé was strung incredibly tight. She could feel a tight tiny string in her spine, just barely holding her together these days. At times, her eyes became heavy and fuzzy as the world spun around her.

Breha, without losing her party face, sped up to take Padmé to the side room she had in mind. Once they were alone, Breha turned to face Padmé. She half-expected Breha to start questioning, but Breha just gave a heavy sigh and watched her friend with sad eyes. “It’s true, isn’t it? It’s really true,” Breha said pitifully, sounding close to tears.

“Yes,” Padmé gave simply, looking down at her wine glass. She heard Breha give a snarky laugh of disbelief.

“I don’t believe it. I don’t _want_ to believe it,” Breha said petulantly as looked down at the floor. Padmé might have agreed with Breha, but she couldn’t help but take a nervous look around the quiet room. They hadn’t said anything suspicious, but Anakin hadn’t contacted her in days, and one would have to be a fool if they weren’t overly cautious in their position.

“I know,” Padmé eventually said quietly. Breha snapped back up to look at Padmé, and the Naboo senator could see Breha struggle to get a handle on her emotions. Finally, Breha closed her eyes, letting one measly tear slip, and sighed before nodding decisively.

“We should get back out there,” Breha said to Padmé, not opening her eyes.

“We should,” Padmé agreed without doing anything to move them along. The two women stood in silence, seemingly trying to gather the proper gusto to return to the party. They hadn’t even moved when another figure made its way inside the room and over to Breha.

“Now what could you two be doing?” Bail asked teasingly of his wife as he wrapped his arms around her. Padmé saw her friend visibly relax in her husband’s arms and felt herself relax as well though it was more bittersweet than she would care to admit. (She was really missing Anakin.)

Instead of answering her husband’s question, Breha leaned into his embrace, giggling, “How do you always know when I need you?” 

“My dear, I assure you, my motives are completely selfish: I need you far more than you need me,” Bail teased lovingly, the love he held for his wife shining clearly in the edges of his face, causing Breha to laugh fully which in turn caused Bail to visibly melt at the sound. “Is something wrong?” he asked eventually, glancing at Padmé, acknowledging her presence for the first time.

“I think we were both overwhelmed,” Padmé admitted softly. Breha made a noise of agreement, and Bail kissed her temple.

“Anything I can do?” Bail asked, looking between his wife and his friend.

Sighing, Padmé steeled herself. “Yes,” she said, placing her best politician smile on, “you can escort us back to the party.” Breha looked up and met eyes with Padmé, quickly gaining her own resolve.

“Yes,” Breha agreed, “let’s go.” And with that, the three made their way back to the main party and spent the rest of the night carefully gaining allies in all the necessary areas (fellow senators and representatives, press and media officials, a few low-ranking but morally-driven bankers and merchants, and even a few military officials who were growing tired of war and disillusioned with Palpatine’s war strategies) without gaining too much suspicion. It was just the start, and none of these people knew the truth of the situation, but with each ally they gained, Padmé’s confidence in the plan grew. 

Perhaps she was not the only one who had grown suspicious of Palpatine as the war went on.


End file.
